Reviewer's Choice

The Celts have produced wonderful art – but what does it all mean? "Celtic Folk Soul: Art, Myth, and Symbol" is a book of art and history, hoping to investigate the spiritual aspects of Celtic artworks. Going through the major pieces left behind by people who lived before Christianity reached the British Isles, and offering a look at how they interpreted both the mundane and spiritual worlds through their druids, "Celtic Folk Soul: Art, Myth, and Symbol" is a scholarly, educational, and awe-inspiring look at the Celts, highly recommended for both history and art collections.

When the European style of cooking met the plethora of ingredients native to the Americas, a new tradition was born. "Renewing America's Food Traditions: Saving and Savoring the Continent's Most Endangered Foods" is a look at the forgotten foods of the American tradition and countless tips and articles about restoring these foods to prominence. Using the concept of if it's eaten, it will be remembered and recreated, "Renewing America's Food Traditions" is as educational as it is delicious. A top pick for chefs looking for something historical to cook, "Renewing America's Food Traditions" is a must for any American cookbook or history collection.

Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin, although both famous, would not be said by many to have a lot in common. David R. Contosta disagrees, and "Rebel Giants: The Revolutionary Lives of Abraham Lincoln & Charles Darwin" is his reasoning why. The two figures, hugely impactful in history, were born on the same day, disliked their fathers, lost their mothers at a young age, suffered from depression, and other eerie similarities. Hoping to give readers a more comprehensive understanding of both men by examining their similarities and differences, "Rebel Giants: The Revolutionary Lives of Abraham Lincoln & Charles Darwin" is an excellent pick for any community library collection dedicated to history.

It used to be thought that growing fruit trees in Minnesota was too difficult to be a successful agricultural enterprise. "Northern Treasure: The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and Horticultural Research Center" by Susan Davis Price is dedicated to proving that old belief wrong, and telling the story of how Minnesota became a flourishing source of fruits, vegetables and grains that help feed the nation and the world. "Northern Treasure" is filled with John Gregor's full color photography showcasing the beautiful plants of Minnesota, as well as detailed text profiling the gardens, the effort put into them, and their histories. A historical overview that gardeners, horticulturalists, nature lovers, and Minnesota historians are sure to enjoy, "Northern Treasurer" is a superbly presented work and an essential, core addition to Minnesota history and reference collections.

No event in the twenty first century has had anywhere near the impact of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. "The 9/11 Encyclopedia" is a complete and comprehensive two volume collection on the topic, covering each aspect of the tragedy and its aftermath, as thorough as can be seven years later. Remembering Flight 93, connections to the bombing in 1993, and explanations of conspiracy theories are all within volume one of the set. Volume two looks at Bin Laden's Jihad, and includes interviews with survivors of the attacks alongside people who conducted rescues. Many more issues are covered in incredible depth in this expertly compiled, scholarly reference worthy of community and college library politics and reference collections.

Wisconsin gardeners are long accustomed to growing vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts, and berries in their garden plots. Those new to gardening in the Badger state now have available to them an invaluable instruction manual as to which food plants grow best in Wisconsin soils and under what conditions. "Guide To Wisconsin Vegetable Gardening" by gardening expert James A. Fizzell offers informed and informative advice and commentary on planning, selecting, and planting edible plants that are especially suited for Wisconsin's climate. Enhanced with helpful charts on the number of days required from planting to harvest for each item discussed and recommended, "Guide To Wisconsin Vegetable Gardening" clearly indicates when each edible plant should be planted, where it should be planting, and planting tips to insure the best possible harvest. Ideal for the novice Wisconsin gardener and an especially recommended addition to all personal, professional, as well as Wisconsin community library gardening reference collections, "Guide To Wisconsin Vegetable Gardening" also has enduring value as a reference for even the more experienced Badger State gardener from Janesville in the south to Hudson in the north.

Words have power. While a great book can bring joy to thousands, some books can bring pain and misery to the same amount. "10 Books That Screwed Up the World And 5 Others That Didn't Help" is a look at volumes throughout history that have allegedly done serious damage to the world – to the point where some say humanity would be better off if they were never written. From obvious inclusions such as Adolph Hitler's "Mein Kampf" to surprising inclusions like Charles Darwin's "Origin of Species", to the just plain weird in the piece on Alfred Kinsey's "Sexual Behavior in the Human Male", "10 Books That Screwed Up the World" is a witty, if a bit macabre examination of the monumental impacts of these titles.

Too often books in the Creationism vs. Evolution debate are released with such a radical tilt in either direction that one knows the argument they will put forth without opening the front cover. "God, Evolution, Natural Selection" is author Kenneth H. Nelder's attempt to be a neutral moderator in the debate, and offers much food for thought. A top pick for both religion and science community library collections.

Art and poetry are two things that go together like bread and butter. "River of Words: Young Poets and Artists on the Nature of Things" is exactly what its title says: an anthology of both full color art and poetry by poets and artists under the age of eighteen. Sure to bring readers face to face with the world as seen through the eyes of the young, "River of Words: Young Poets and Artists on the Nature of Things" is a must for community library poetry and art collections alike. "Water", by Helena Leech, Age 7: Water glistens on the rocks,/ flowing down to the sea,/ gurgling, splishing, splashing, crashing,/ never stopping/ for a cup of tea.

Terrorism and Global Security is a straightforward reference and resource concerning the definition, causes, and goals of terrorism, as well as the history of terrorism, backgrounds of perpetrators, and the complex issues surrounding the balance between security and liberty. Case studies of terrorism within the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Peru, and Columbia reveal how each nation has been affected by terrorism; chapters compare and contrast the effectiveness of measures each nation undertook in response. Accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Terrorism and Global Security is a detailed introduction to this complicated, world-spanning issue. Highly recommended, especially for public library collections.

The Cookbook Shelf

Part of a set of titles on world foods in America is LATINO FOOD CULTURE, a survey of ingredients, cultures, and important trends in Latino foods. From national holidays and special occasion celebrations to regional recipes which have made it to the U.S., LATINO FOOD CULTURE is packed with cultural, social and culinary insights and connections and is especially recommended for any college-level library strong in Latin culture and food.

Kara Zuaro isn't your usual chef/home cook author; she's followed rock bands from Violent Femmes to Death Cab for Cutie to find out what they cook while on the road, and I LIKE FOOD, FOOD TASTES GOOD: IN THE KITCHEN WITH YOUR FAVORITE BANDS comes packed with specialty dishes, from adaptations of standards to innovative new cuisine. No photos but the easy dishes don't need them – and the introductions packed with rock star insights are also enlightening and intriguing reads, making this a cross-pick for both music and culinary collections.

Experienced cookbook author Dreena Burton is back with her third book of recipes in "Eat, Drink, & Be Vegan: Everyday Vegan Recipes worth Celebrating". A compilation of well over one hundred and fifty recipes ranging from Thai Chick-Un Pizza without the Chicken and Breakfast Crepes to Five Star Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches, "Eat, Drink & Be Vegan" focuses on everyday celebratory foods that one can enjoy without feeling much guilt about their diet. "Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan" is a solid pick for vegan chefs and community library cookbook collections.

Who says vegetables don't taste good? "Vegan Fusion: World Cuisine" is a guide to countless vegan recipes, combined with insights of eastern wisdom. Promoting food that is good for the body, the soul, the consciousness, and the planet on which we live, "Vegan Fusion" covers everything from soups and sauces to salads and desserts. Enhanced with a forward from world renowned zoologist Jane Goodall, "Vegan Fusion: World Cuisine" is a top pick for aspiring vegan chefs, and for community library cookbook collections.

One does not need all the time in the world to eat a healthy, delicious, and nutritious meal. Gordon Ramsey, celebrated TV cook, brings readers "Fast Food", a cookbook featuring recipes that can be prepared start to finish in about fifteen minutes (none take longer than half an hour apiece), and offering advice to make cooking these dishes even quicker. Readers who want a cookbook that doesn't take hours to use need look no further than Gordon Ramsey's "Fast Food". Recommended for community library cookbook collections.

A childhood tea party – all little girls have thrown a make believe one, but as adults, reality is at their fingertips. "Pink Princess Tea Parties" is a cookbook filled with simple recipes for light, sweet, and delectable 'tea party' style foods and beverages sure to please a hostess living out their childhood fantasies, as well as their guests (who may or may not be in on the fantasy). Featuring dishes such as Pink Princess Smoothies, Sweetheart Shortbread, and Confetti Meringue Cookies, and full color photos of almost every recipe, "Pink Princess Tea Parties" is highly recommended for community library cookbook collections. Also highly recommended from Gibbs Smith Press is "New West Cuisine: Fresh Recipes from the Rocky Mountains" (978142360256, $29.95), another great cookbook with a focus on mountain cookery, sure to please anyone looking for a new taste sensation.

There's more to southern cooking than a lot of deep frying – there's soul. "The Soul of Southern Cooking" offers a from-the-heart explanation of what southern cooking really is, followed by countless recipes for delicious dishes that are commonly known as soul food. Giving thorough and unique directions for soul food-style renditions of dishes such as Macaroni and Cheese, Cheeseburgers, Collard Greens, and more, "The Soul of Southern Cooking" is a top pick for anyone who wants a cookbook with heart and for community library cookbook collections.

In the late 19th to the early 20th centuries, "The Farmer's Wife" magazine was a staple in American homes, featuring timely topics of interest to rural women readers. Every issue showcased recipes and menus meant for farm kitchens, from the first issue in 1893 to the last issue in 1939. Now the best of those recipes and menus are reproduced in "The Farmer's Wife Cookbook: Over 400 Blue-Ribbon Recipes". Enhanced with clips of the magazine's original articles and artwork, "The Farmer's Wife Cookbook" also includes a guide to home canning and instructions for making jams, jellies, pickles, and relishes. Spiral bound and sturdy, "The Farmer's Wife Cookbook" has its recipes arranged in chapters dedicated to 'First Courses and Soups'; Beverages; Breads; Meats; Soups; Vegetables; 'Hot Supper Dishes'; Salads and Salad Dressings; Desserts and Candies; Cakes, Cookies, Doughnuts, Icings, Fillings and Dessert Sauces; Pastry and Pies; Jellies, Conserves and Jams; Pickles and Relishes. Offering nostalgic dining on farm family favorites, "The Farmer's Wife Cookbook" is thoroughly 'kitchen friendly' for modern cooks and a useful, entertaining and inspired addition to personal and community library cookbook collections.

Just because diabetics must be careful of their diet doesn't mean they have to forego gourmet level qualities of taste, presentation, and elegance when dining at home. Chef Chris Smith has compiled a volume of outstanding recipes to grace any diabetic's meal plan in "The Diabetic Chef's Year-Round Cookbook", published by the American Diabetes Association. For the novice kitchen cook seeking to prepare 'diabetic friendly' dishes there are pragmatic tips and techniques that can accentuate the inherent tastes of healthy ingredients, advice on stocking one's kitchen to prepare such meals, tips on selecting the right kinds of ingredients or cooking foods at correct temperatures, and even how to use template cooking to make changes to one's favorite recipes. Broken down monthly throughout the spectrum of one year, each recipe showcased in "The Diabetic Chef's Year-Round Cookbook" is adjusted to the ingredients of that particular season. Enhanced with the inclusion of a sidebar identifying Exchanges/Choices and Basic Nutritional Values, the recipes include Turkey Gravy; Zucchini and Mushroom Frittatas; Baked Salmon with Mango Vinaigrette; Extra-Thick Lemon Yogurt; Roasted Corn and Red Pepper Salsa; Sweet Vadalia Onion Tart, Grilled Skirt Steak; and Tossed Mixed Greens with Grilled Chicken and Goat Cheese. A solid compendium of easy-to-prepare quality dishes that will please any palate and satisfy any appetite.

Recipe of the Week: Ice Cream is a welcome addition to culinary writer Sally Sampson's "Recipe of the Week" series, featuring fifty-two tasty recipes for fans of frozen delights. From Banana Sorbet (the perfect dish for using up overripe bananas), to Fresh Fig Gelato with Orange and Cinnamon, to Sour Cream Brown Sugar Ice Cream and much more, Recipe of the Week: Ice Cream offers a broad assortment of classic flavors as well as unique original delights. Mouth-watering color photography illustrates this treasure for ice cream lovers everywhere, highly recommended.

One way to wow guests at one's next dinner party is with a lesser known by delicious dish – the terrine (so called because of the glazed earthenware baking dish in which it is cooked). "Terrine" takes a look at this French dish and inflects a simple and pure taste upon it, rare in this day of complex gourmet food. Covering vegetable, meat, cheese, and dessert terrines, "Terrine" is a top pick for any cookbook collection looking for something different, and for community libraries looking for a new addition.

One of the most popular cuisines world wide, Italian cuisine is comprised of dishes and culinary styles from several different and differing regions of the country. For the benefit of the novice kitchen chef, London-based Italian chef, restauranteur and food expert Antonio Carluccio (founder of Carluccio's caffes) and his wife Priscilla have drawn upon their many years of experience and expertise in all facets of Italian cuisine to create "Carluccio's Complete A-Z Of Italian Food", a thoroughly 'user friendly' and encyclopedic compendium of detailed information and authentic recipes associated with Italy's diverse culinary accomplishments. Beginning with an informative introduction and a map of Italy, there are superbly illustrated and presented chapters on fish and shellfish; eggs, poultry and game; fresh and cured meats; vegetables and legumes; pasta; rice and grains; fungi; oils, vinegars, herbs, spices and flavorings; dairy products; fruits and nuts; breads and baking; wines and liqueurs. Enhanced with a comprehensive index for ease of use, "Carluccio's Complete A-Z Of Italian Food" is an ideal and highly prized addition to personal, professional, and community cookbook collections and reference guides.

The Economics Shelf

When the social security system was invented, few people lived past the age of seventy. But in the modern era, it's almost a given that seeing eighty is an easy feat. "Aging Nation: The Economics and Politics of Growing Older in America" is a look America's problem of the impeding retirement of its baby boomer generation. Postulating that the collapse of Social Security is not entirely unavoidable, "Aging Nation" is an in depth look at every aspect of age and its politics, not just concerning Social Security but health care and many other issues as well. Highly recommended for community library economics collections.

The Psychology Shelf

THE MOTHER FACTOR: HOW YOUR MOTHER'S EMOTIONAL LEGACY IMPACTS YOUR LIFE is based on the author's psychology practice and shows how a mother's influence can work either for or against us. A mother's 'style' influences adults lifelong: THE MOTHER FACTOR illustrates these common styles, from perfectionism and best friends to the 'me first' mother, and illustrates combinations of traits in showing how adults can transcend the underlying messages to achieve mental health. General-interest lending collections will find it a popular read with an eye-catching cover.

How do you raise a child diagnosed with autism? "See Sam Run: A Mother's Story of Autism" is Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe's story of dealing with it. Look at the growing number of autism spectrum diagnoses, she wonders - is the diagnosis system improving, or is there something wrong with modern health? The numbers, while important, speak of nothing of the daily troubles parents must face. As she began to come to terms with her autistic son, she wrote her story down in "See Sam Run: A Mother's Story of Autism", highly recommended for community library collections.

Emotional disorders such as bipolar disorder are never the private inner conflict of one person – they affect the families of the bipolar individual a great deal as well. "Bipolar Disorder: A Family-Focused Treatment Approach" examines the disorder as a problem that the afflicted and his or her family must face together, touching on emotional resistance to treatment, distinguishing to the disorder from the person, and the importance of communication. The enhanced second edition includes a study on new treatments for the ailment, and new case studies. "Bipolar Disorder: A Family-Focused Treatment Approach" is highly recommended for community library health collections and for anyone afflicted or related to the afflicted.

There are those patients who make everything their psychiatrist went through worthwhile; "Their Finest Hour: Master Therapists Share Their Greater Success Stories" is a compilation of these shining cases. Filled with prose based on notes from success stories of patient recovery and breakthroughs, "Their Finest Hour" is an optimistic and refreshing view of the mental health profession in general. A top pick for community library psychology and biography collections.

The earlier years of a child's life make them a sponge for knowledge; being in child care centers is simply another educational experience, even when doing things that are not typically viewed as educational. "Social & Emotional Development: Connecting Science and Practice in Early Childhood Settings" is a guide for day care center educators to making every day into a day where children learn something invaluable. Valuable lessons include teaching children how to find security in trusted adults, how to form good friendships, and how to control their behavior. "Social & Emotional Development: Connecting Science and Practice in Early Childhood Settings" is a top pick for community library child psychology collections and highly recommended to child care professionals.

The Literary Shelf

Few people are ever masters of their craft straight from the get go. "The Magical Campus: University of North Carolina Writings 1917-1920" is a compilation of the early writings of acclaimed author Thomas Wolfe. Even the best practitioners of the craft of writing bumbled many an attempt in their young age; these early works are a good sign of what's to come and an optimistic view for young writers to keep trying even if told they're not very good now. Highly recommended for community library literary collections.

Fame – to be known, and not just be another face in the crowd. "The Secret of Fame: The Literary Encounter in an Age of Distraction" is an examination of fame in the literary world through the ages, from Homer to Stephen King. Written in a mocking, sarcastic, critical tone, "The Secret of Fame" is not merely a tabloid for the writing world; it attacks many of the conventions that just seem questionable in today's world of books. A top pick for community library literary studies collections.

The works of one of Germany's most revered poets are now collected in "Travel Pictures". Excellently translated by Peter Wortsman, this excellent anthology of prose and poetry is now available to English speakers. Credited with bringing the German language into the modern mindset and style, Heinrich Heine's work is excellent reading throughout. Highly recommended for community library literature collections.

New Paths to Raymond Carver: Critical Essays on His Life, Fiction, and Poetry is an anthology of essays by learned authors concerning Raymond Carver's body of prose and poetry. Among the authors are renowned Carver scholars Randolph Paul Runyon and Kirk Nesset, Carver's longtime friend and compatriot writer William Kittredge, and others from such diverse nations as France, Norway, Canada, and the United States. The first half of New Paths to Raymond Carver consists of six essays discussing Carver's poems throughout his career, while the second half interprets Carver's fiction. Rounding out New Paths to Raymond Carver is the very first English-language publication of the introduction to the Japanese edition of "Ultramarine" by Carver's widow, Tess Gallagher. A thoughtful, in-depth literary analysis that surveys themes stretching across the whole of Carver's works. Highly recommended, especially for college library collections and anyone seeking to better understand the nuances of Carver's literature.

The Eighteenth Century was the start of the Enlightenment in Europe. "Eighteenth Century Literature and Culture" is a look at this exciting time in the world and its literature, which leads its readers to learn much about the people and society of the day. With focuses on the many writers of the era and their common techniques, enhanced with a chronology of world history's major writings, "Eighteenth Century Literature and Culture" is a top pick for anyone who wants to educate themselves on the era and for community library literary studies collections.

Ireland has more to offer the literary world than just limericks (although those are good too). "An Irish Literature Reader: Poetry, Prose, Drama" is a complete and comprehensive look at Irish creative writing through the ages, with countless samples and examinations of their creators. Now in a brand new edition, "An Irish Literature Reader" features a larger focus on Irish women writers and their contributions to the craft. A top pick for community library world literature collections.

While entertaining and incredibly thought provoking, the works of Thomas Pynchon can be very draining to study. "Approaches to Teaching Pynchon's The Crying of Lot 49 and Other Works" is a literary teacher's guide to teaching Pynchon's literature and without driving students insane over the endless complexities and references. Filled with essays explaining classroom techniques, "Approaches to Teaching Pynchon's The Crying of Lot 49 and Other Works" is highly recommended for college library literary studies collections.

The Political Science Shelf

Does society truly need the government acting as a parental figure? "The Collected Papers of Anthony de Jasay: Social Contract, Free Ride, A Study of the Public-Goods Problem" presents several radical ideas for the reader to ponder. Arguing that through the social contract and morality inherent in Americans, voluntary contributions of the people would solve many of society's problems – because under the social system, everyone would feel urged to contribute if they had the ability to do so. The possibility that many would prefer to take the free ride is not discounted, however. Thoughtful and thought provoking throughout, "The Collected Papers of Anthony de Jasay: Social Contract, Free Ride, A Study of the Public-Goods Problem" is highly recommended for community library political collections.

The Nautical Shelf

Tying a solid knot is a skill that will be needed even as technology continues to advance. "The Book of Sailing Knots: How to Tie and Correctly Use Over 50 Essential Knots" is a complete and comprehensive guide to sailing knots and, as the title says, how to correctly use them. Going over each knot step by step and outlining when each knot is appropriate, there is no book more in depth on the subject. "The Book of Sailing Knots: How to Tie and Correctly Use Over 50 Essential Knots" is a top pick for sailors and community library nautical collections.

The craft of building sailboats was commonly practiced thousands of years ago; in the modern era, it is a lost art. "The Year of the Boat: Beauty, Imperfection, and the Art of Doing It Yourself" tells of author Lawrence W. Cheek's struggles as he strives to construct his own sailboat in spite of his ineptness at carpentry and even the act of sailing. A charming memoir about one man's efforts to construct a magnificent wooden vessel he could call his own (a plan that should have taken a hundred hours, but ended up taking him an entire year), "The Year of the Boat: Beauty, Imperfection, and the Art of Doing It Yourself" is a memoir that many can relate to. A top pick for community library memoir and nautical collections.

Packaged in a water-resistant zippered slipcover for protection from stray waves, The Boating Companion: All You Need to Know for Life on the Water is an accessible step-by-step guide packed with everything one needs to know before venturing aboard a nautical vessel. From what to pack, to basic signaling and navigation, first aid, vital safety procedures, recommended troubleshooting, and much more, The Boating Companion enhances its advice with simple black-and-white line diagrams on almost every page. "If you see a tug and then a barge some way behind it, don't think you can squeeze through the gap - there may be a gap, but there may also be a submerged cable between them that you can't see. All large ships have a blind spot that can extend for a considerable distance; this won't matter if you steer clear of them. Very large ships may act as windbreaks, decreasing your speed and making it difficult for you to maneuver; they also create a large wake which can make life very uncomfortable if you are in a small boat." A solid resource highly recommended for anyone intending to spend time on a boat, whether it's thirty minutes, thirty days, or thirty years.

The Black Studies Shelf

Music is powerful; it can bring joy, laughter, sadness, and most importantly, change. "Sing for Freedom: The Story of the Civil Rights Movement Through Its Songs" is a look at music and its impact on the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Packed with sheet music, lyrics, and information on various major songs and how they pushed progress in history, "Sing for Freedom" is enhanced with black and white photographs. A fresh perspective on the period, "Sing for Freedom" is highly recommended for community library black studies and music collections.

Too many young black Americans, are falling into exactly what the worst stereotypes depict. Is there a way for parents to help their children avoid this fate? "Why Scouting Works for Black Boys" is a guide focusing on young African American children and how increased enrollment in the Boy Scouts could help the country – while realistically realizing that the Boy Scouts are not a panacea for the world's ills. Pushing improved values all around, "Why Scouting Works for Black Boys" is a top pick for any community library black studies collection and for any parent who wants the best for their child.

The Social Issues Shelf

Today's world is full of corporations where engineering and business sense are the top values in employees. Higher Education, as such, has turned to teaching these aspects. "The Last Professors: The Corporate University and the Fate of the Humanities" is a look at the victims of this turn, the college professors. With the fall of the liberal arts and modern emphasis on efficiency, the days of the tenured professor are looking grim as the world changes too fast for a long term career as a college level instructor to be a viable option. "The Last Professors: The Corporate University and the Fate of the Humanities" is a scholarly examination of a serious academic shift, highly recommended for community and college library social issues collections.

As conditions in a country get worse, trust in the government tends to dwindle. "Governance in Dark Times: Practical Philosophy for Public Service" is a guide for those in the service of a public that presumes corruption at every turn and has no faith in the system. With advice on doing the right thing in the face of adversity, and discussions on contested issues like terrorism and homeland security, "Governance in Dark Times: Practical Philosophy for Public Service" is a must for government employee and community library social issues collections.

THE COMING CONVERGENCE: THE SURPRISING WAYS DIVERSE TECHNOLOGIES INTERACT TO SHAPE OUR WORLD AND CHANGE THE FUTURE comes from a physicist and writer who shows how past convergences between technologies have changed the world – and how new currents in biotechnology and information technology hold the same promise for the future. From the potentials for reduced pollution and longer lives to the issues of too much power in too few hands, THE COMING CONVERGENCE charts dangerous – and hopeful – future paths of development.

How does America stay true to its constitution in a rapidly changing world? "Deconstructing the Republic: Voting Rights, The Supreme Court, and the Founders' Republicanism Reconsidered" is a scholarly look at topics of seminal importance for modern political discussions. Written by educated professor Anthony A. Peacock, "Deconstructing the Republic" is grounded in sound arguments, and is of importance to any modern day political discussion. Highly recommended for community library social issues collections.

When news reporters ask what the candidates are wearing, or how George W. Bush spends his spare time, is it a sign of the media's declining quality in its quest to gain ratings? "The Political Economy of the Media: Enduring Issues, Enduring Dilemmas" is a brutal and harsh critique of the current state of the media and all that impacts it such as the internet, the growing infusion of commercialism in culture, and other factors. With the pen of Professor Robert W. McChesney behind it, "The Political Economy of the Media: Enduring Issues, Enduring Dilemmas" is a top pick for community library collections dedicated to social issues and for any who wants a harsher look at the modern media.

Is the current prison system in desperate need of reform? "When the Prisoners Ran Walpole: A True Story in the Movement For Prison Abolition" is a look at the concept of prisons and how a group of prisoners in 1973 managed to set forth change successfully, by keeping the peace within their ranks as their guards went on strike. An optimistic yet critical to both sides of the debate, "When the Prisoners Ran Walpole: A True Story in the Movement For Prison Abolition" is highly recommended for community library social issues collections and for any prison administrator.

The black and white battle between good and evil is a common element of fantasy. But that's all it is – fantasy. "A Choice of Enemies: America Confronts the Middle East" is an examination of America's involvement in the growing conflicts with the middle east, conflicts which are almost as far from black and white as something can possibly be. Many of America's alleged 'enemies' are not in fact working together, and are just as antagonistic towards each other as they are America. An intriguing look at America, its enemies, and their countless interrelations with one another, "A Choice of Enemies: America Confronts the Middle East" is a top pick for community library current events collections.

The Poetry Shelf

The cream of an already excellent crop - "All These Roads: The Poetry of Louis Dudek" picks thirty five poems from the poet's long and illustrious sixty-year career as a major literary force in Canada. The high regard in which he is held is readily understood as readers view and enjoy his work, making "All These Roads: The Poetry of Louis Dudek" highly recommended for community library poetry collections.

Author of two previous collections of poetry and award winning poet Timothy Kelly returns with his third anthology of verse in "The Extremities". Contemplating the unique subject of the human body and turning the science behind it into enlightening, educational, and entertaining lyrical poetry, "The Extremities" is a read poetry lovers are sure to enjoy. Highly recommended for community library poetry collections. "Taking It In to Have it Looked At": In her voice there's Irish tracings,/ in her ear a bridgework of bones. In the bones/ small sets of shivers upon which/ everything you think you hear turns.// In the eye there's carpet receptive/ to light waved in from the star; and the tamped/ seeds, signaled, splay triggered,/ the seeds where the libraries are.// In sleep dart severs the senses,/ then incommunicado we drift our beds; and are/ mapped by lovers we never knew/ were stowed away strange in our heads.

The word "unmentionable" does not, strictly speaking, mean something that is inappropriate; it can also mean something that words can't describe well. "Unmentionables" is a poetry collection by experienced and prolific author Beth Ann Fennelly, who tries to speak of what can't be spoken with inspired and detailed lyrical verse. The result is an enlightening and entertaining reading experience. Community library poetry collections would do well in acquiring "Unmentionables". "Colorplate 68": Eugene worsens./ At fifty I am old./ I paint en plein air no more.// April: he gives me a bunch of violets./ I crush them/ onto my pallette,/ suture my canvas/ with violets.

Experienced poet David Yezzi returns with his third anthology of poetry in "Azores". Well-written throughout, touching on the humor and somberness found in everyday life with an intellectual tint, "Azores" is an ideal pick for poetry fans and community library collections. "Tritina for Susannah": The water off these rocks is green and cold./ The sandless coast takes the tide in its mouth,/ as a wolf brings down a deer or lifts its child.// I walked this bay before you were my child./ Your fingers stinging brightly in the cold,/ I take each one and warm it in my mouth.//Though I've known this shore for years, my mouth/ holds no charms of use to you, my child./ You will have to learn the words to ward off cold// and know them cold, child, in your open mouth.

"Elegy for the Floater" explores the human elements of love, death, and life, with a primary focus on healing from psychological damage inflicted by the sudden suicide of a loved one. Deftly crafted with beautiful imagery throughout, "Elegy for the Floater" is highly recommended to any who have lost a loved one to this terrible occurrence. "Webs": my mother drew spider webs/on any paper with her reacher// my mother on the telephone/drew webs across names in our address book//my mother in her rocker/drew webs on bills and Christmas cards//my mother in my bedroom drew/webs deep in diaries//everywhere in that house I found/ink pencil crayon.

Highly experienced and prolific poet Doren Robbins presents his sixth full length volume of poetry in "My Piece of the Puzzle". Filled with simple yet delicate observations of the world around us, and touching on the various eccentricities of human nature be they mean, idiotic, or magnificent, Robbins' poetry is sure to move readers in one way or another. "My Piece of the Puzzle" is a top pick for poetry lovers and community library collections catering to them. "The Rains": At a hotel off the Deschutes River, recorded in Bend, Oregon, the same/night going down for ice when I found a large moth inside from the rain.//Even dead it looked vibrant, resting on the inside corner/of a louvered windowsill.//Heavy layered fur neck, buffalo thick head. I saw all the way into the pearl/ of running surf inside the moth's unshuttered eye, and the bloom in there/became clear a little piece of peel at a time.//Saw the loomed pieces stacked layers new petals lapped over a face within/the increased undergrowth, steadily withheld, unknown till then.

"Two Off Q: A Conversation In Poetry" is one of the most distinctive and novel approaches to the publishing of poetry. Two outstanding masters of verse, June Nirschl and Judy Roy, have a kind of off-beat collaboration in that "Two Off Q" showcases their poetry in sequence, evoking the feeling of listening to two distinctive voices communicating in the ephemeral language of poetry with another and with the reader. Organized into four major sections (Whimsy; Whispers from the Past; Among those We've Loved; Presence), we are presented with the first poem ('The Most Important Light in the County') followed by a poem by Judy Roy ('A Cook's Lament'), and this pattern with but is form of presentation principally followed throughout with but a few exceptions. The result is impressive individually, and fascinating in the collective whole. "Two Off Q" is especially recommended and rewarding reading for any and all who appreciated well crafted poetry superbly presented. 'Phoning Home': It's what we've done forever--call each other./We talked about our parents, always laughed/and shared small secrets, each convinced the other/could take away the sadness, make us laugh./And so we did. We giggled at the boys/until we double-dated, then came home/and telephoned. We shared, compared the boys,/our husbands now. Worlds apart, yet home,/we are each other's history. Through the phone/we spoke of children growing up, of loss/and hope, the awful fear of when a phone/might ring for boys grown old, the one great loss./And still we call, we speak, and sometimes weep/the quiet tears that aged women weep. (Judy Roy) 'Lullaby for My Little Sister': You were the child with colic who cried/for more than a year while Mama tried/to shush and soothe to no avail/the pain in your gut. Not this tale/or another speaks to what frayed//the mother-daughter tie, once ignited,/fanned hungry flames that putrefied/all hope. But we viewed through a veil --/you were a child.//Rest now, mischievous imp, bright-eyed/girl. Your laughter long nullified/sours like wisps on the wind, sails/sails like spirit, still hush-a-byed./Forever, child.

Experienced and prolific author and poet Seamus Cashman returns with his third anthology, "That Morning Will Come", a focus on spirituality and musings on life drawn from Cashman's visit to the holy land and Palestine – with a side look at human rights. Cashman also touches on parenthood and other commonly faced problems of life. A deftly written and highly recommended piece of poetry, perfect for community library poetry collections. "Poised on the Edge": I would have been a pharaoh/to your Nile, a sunbeam to your cist/a button on your belly tying up ends/in my beginnings, fits, and enterprises.//I could go for days on your breathings/But to end all that I stand here/poised on the edge of waking/ready for a drought.

Mexican-born poet Gabriela Jauregui presents Controlled Decay, her debut poetry collection. The works range in setting from Jauregui's native Mexico City to a dance hall in East Los Angeles to a steam bath in Morocco to the quietude of the grave. Blending elements of narrative, thought processes, and open rhythm, Controlled Decay taps into the immense power of human consciousness and the eternal story that is the endless circle of life. "For Nietzsche": Between truth and fiction / a soap washes/clears ambiguity / dispels/destroys ambivalence / a vegetable soap / that leaves no trace / clean / like a button / ripped from an overcoat / on a winter morning.

Colosseum is a brief collection of free-verse poems by award-winning poet Katie Ford. Drawing upon the lessons of history embedded within historical ruins, contrasted with modern-day ruins such as the devastation of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina (an experience the author encountered firsthand), Colosseum speaks of catastrophes throughout time, emphasizing that natural disasters deliver their wrath with equal fury to all people. A singularly compelling and thought-provoking poetry experience. "Earth": Wild horses folded into their last night. / One burrowed against the dead's descending heat / as three cantered from the threadbare wood. // You must leaving everything lit / by city light and Damascus light, anything fueled / except by your eyes on these animal bodies. // Species by species, light by light. // As for the tarpan it shall be for you. / A reckoning so slow you aren't even frightened.

The debut collection by 2008 Motherwell Prize winner Kaisa Ullsvik Miller, Unspoiled Air is an anthology of brief, free-verse poems winding in undulating, soothing patterns that dare to offer a glimmer of hope against the stark indifference of the universe. Encapsulating instants in time and emotion, Unspoiled Air affects the senses like a deep breath of its titular subject. "A Flower's Work": a flower's intention is / of a flower work // you are the center // of the flower, // The vivid, delicate petals / delight / and health

In the Silence of the Migrated Birds is a flat-spined chapbook of free-verse poetry expressing the transitory moment of experience - whether witnessing one's mother baking bread or observing the constellation Pleiades for the first time. Avian imagery abounds, as migratory birds are symbolic of the eternal, cyclic change that is the hallmark of life itself. In the Silence of the Migrated Birds deserves to be savored, whether in the comfort of one's own home or during a break in a nature hike. "Christmas": Winter sets like a broken / bone, painful and white. // Winter has a way / of making war seem more futile. // And when sleet riddles the angels / the children swam into the snow, // who can resist the urge / to visit the Veterans' Museum // to touch the cold bronze / faces of their grandfathers?

The Hands of Day is the seventh bilingual translation of the poetry of Chile-born diplomat and political activist Pablo Neruda (1904-1973). Sixty-seven lyric poems are presented in both their original Spanish and in English. At times the verse dips away from the mundanities of daily life and into the wonders existing just beyond the senses. A poignant collection, tinged with the depth of human emotion and a "must-have" for anyone with an interest in Neruda's classic works. "The Hands of the Days": by the accident of the rose / the hour is born, irascible / or yellow. / Thin layer of volcano, petal of hatred, / carnivorous throat, / such is a day, and the next one / is tenderly, / yes resolutely, a wedding song.

The Travel Shelf

Lookout towers used to be places where rangers could view the forests and spot any problems. Today, they are open to anyone who wishes to visit them. "Hiking North Carolina's Lookout Towers" is a guide for hikers who want to put a destination into their hikes that ends with a great view of the surrounding landscape. An ideal pick for any hiking enthusiast, "Hiking North Carolina's Lookout Towers" is highly recommended for community library travel collections.

The city of Jerusalem means so much to so many people. "Jerusalem: A Neighborhood Street Guide" is a closely personal look at the city in its modern state, studying its rich history street by street. The 2,500 streets of the city are listed in alphabetical order; none are left out, and at the end is a full color road map of the city. "Jerusalem: A Neighborhood Street Guide" is highly recommended for community library travel collections and to anyone wishing to visit the holy city.

One doesn't need an entire day to appreciate the arts and life of the great city of Chicago. "Hour Chicago: Twenty Five Self-Guided Sixty Minute Tours of Chicago's Great Architecture and Art" is a guide for tourists and residents who looking to savor full appreciation of the city's culture in conveniently bite-sized doses. Presented in a compact and portable form, Hour Chicago is the perfect guide to carry along for any trip through the city. Highly recommended for community library travel collections.

Nature can be an attraction all its own. "Kansas Outdoor Treasures: A Guide to Over 60 Natural Destinations" is exactly what its title says. For nature hiking enthusiasts, it's a complete and comprehensive guide to traveling through the Midwestern state and enjoying mother nature's own tourist attractions. The guide gives tips on getting the most out of these trips, making "Kansas Outdoor Treasures: A Guide to Over 60 Natural Destinations" highly recommended for community library travel collections.

The relaxing beaches and the bustle of Chicago's lake front – Lake Michigan has much to offer as a vacation destination. "Lake Michigan Travel Guide" is a complete and comprehensive tourist guide to the area surrounding Lake Michigan, granting readers everything they need to know. Pointing out countless attractions as well as good stops for food and rest, and enhanced with detailed black and white photos throughout, "Lake Michigan Travel Guide" is an essential read for anyone heading into the area and for community library travel collections.

Unspoiled by an overwhelming burst of tourism, Ohio can be an ideal destination for one seeking a relaxing vacation. "Particular Places: A Guide to Ohio's Best Road Trips" is a complete and comprehensive guide to travelers who want to go on a vacation to the road less traveled, with fifteen destinations lied out with plenty of suggested activities, accommodations, and great food to be found. Ranging from the world's largest collection of historic lunch boxes to perambulator museums, Ohio has much to offer travelers, and "Particular Places; A Guide to Ohio's Best Road Trips" is the guide to get for it – highly recommended for community library travel collections.

Joan Peterson has now authored and/or co-authored nine superbly crafted and incredible informative travel guides with a distinctive culinary orientation. The newest addition to her impressive roster of titles is "Eat Smart In Sicily: How To Decipher The Menu, Know The Market Foods & Embark On A Tasting Adventure" which she co-authored with Sicilian native, journalist and author Marcella Croce. Enhanced for the armchair browser with a section of color photography showcasing dishes, foods, and chefs, "Eat Smart In Sicily" truly lives up to its name and the sterling reputation of the entire 'Eat Smart' series. Along with an historical overview focused on the origins of Sicily's culinary diversity and a quick tour of local Sicilian foods and their variations, travelers are providing with invaluable tips for shopping in both the Sicilian open air food markets as well as their modern supermarkets. With the inclusion of resource lists, helpful phrases, a menu guide, recommended restaurants, and even a thoroughly 'user friendly' Menu Guide, "Eat Smart In Sicily" is a 'must' for anyone traveling there for either business or pleasure or both!

Paris - one of the most famous cities in the world. "Paris: Wish You Were Here" is an examination of the city's history and image in the eyes of the world throughout the centuries, from ancient Gaul to modern France. Enhanced with writing from countless famous authors such as Hemingway, Twain, and a guide to more traditional aspects of Paris tourism (the food, the museums, the monuments, and more), "Paris: Wish You Were Here" contains almost everything anyone would want to know about the city, and is essential reading for anyone thinking of planning a trip to Paris, or for arm chair travelers worldwide.

Twenty West
Mac Nelson
State University of New York Press
State University Plaza, Albany, NY 12246-0001
9780791474693, $25.00 www.sunypress.edu 1-800-666-2211

Twenty West: The Great Road Across America in an engaging travelogue about journeying upon America's longest road, US Route 20, a coast-to-coast road crossing twelve states as it stretches 3,300 miles from Boston, Massachusetts to Newport, Oregon. Written by Mac Nelson (Distinguished Teaching Professor of English at SUNY Fredonia) and drawing heavily from his personal experience touring its length, Twenty West gives an up close and personal tour of parks (especially the "peaceable kingdom" of Yellowstone), historical landmarks, Americana and much more. "Yellowstone's famous wildlife doesn't pay much mind to artificial boundaries, so it's wise to start watching for bear and deer and moose as soon as you reach Wapiti, twenty miles west of Cody." A wonderful read for armchair travelers, and the next best thing to touring the length of US Route 20 in person.

Not all trips go as planned, and being far from home invites misfortunes. "Traveler's Advisory" is a small puffy handbook of humor for those who are traveling or about to travel. The wisdom, while meant to be humorous, is very real and sound advice when attempting to expect the unexpected. Whether one is staying in the finest accommodations in the world or roughing it, "Traveler's Advisory" is a must-read. A superb giftbook for travel enthusiasts and highly recommended for both community library Travel and Humor collections.

REINVENTING THE SACRED: A NEW VIEW OF SCIENCE, REASON AND RELIGION comes from a pioneer in the field of complexity theory, and here offers a radical new world view: that of the natural universe as a ceaseless creativity which is unpredictable – and which should be considered divine in itself. This concept of 'sacred' can be recreated, Kauffman writes – and his title shows how to refine a view of God into a different kind of system entirely. Perfect for both spirituality and college-level science holdings, it offers a challenging new way of perceiving spirituality and deity.

Scientists have raised religious questions since the discipline's earliest development. Today many scientists are also nonbelievers – but can scientific inquiry and religious belief coexist? Science and Nonbelief is an overview detailing the history and theories of this relationship, examining scientific and spiritual developments alike. Any collection strong in science, philosophy or religion will find Science and Nonbelief a satisfying blend of inquiry and analysis.

An 'urban monk' offers up meditations on dying, living, and religious sense in A MONK IN THE INNER CITY: THE ABCS OF A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY. Juxtaposing spiritual insights with the input of others in society, Mary Lou Kownacki's survey is an excellent addition to any spirituality library, especially those offering meditations for change.

Happiness is being at peace with oneself. "The Enlightenment Process: A Guide to Embodied Spiritual Awakening" is now in a newly revised edition to help those who are lost in the world to find themselves. With methods to help readers discover enlightenment and get in touch with their consciousness, "The Enlightenment Process" is the ideal guide for those seeking to reach the ultimate goal of spiritual oneness. Highly recommended for community library spirituality collections.

Improvement comes with understanding. "The Way It Is: Realizing the Truth About Everything" is a guide to using that piece of wisdom in almost every aspect of life. Combining aspects of self-discovery, eastern religion, philosophy and modern psychology, "The Way It Is" seeks to answer questions such as the existence of free will, good and evil, and how one improves themselves. An ideal book of spirituality and philosophy, highly recommended for community library spirituality collections. Also of interest from Sentient Publications is "Unplugged: How to Disconnect form the Rat Race, Have an Existential Crisis, and Find Meaning and Fulfillment" (9781591810704, $16.95), another guide to those seeking enlightenment in their lives.

Prayer is an act that can be selfish or charitable. "Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim: A Personal Manual for Prayer and Ritual" is an anthology of prayers and other spiritual rituals not specific to any one religion, focusing solely on the spiritual aspects of all religions and how their followers connect with them. Suggesting that readers pray for all people instead of solely for themselves and their family, "Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim" is an ideal gift for anyone cultivating their spiritual side. Highly recommended for community library spirituality collections.

Remembering the teachings of one's master and then explaining them to the world is the harrowing task undertaken by Swami Kriyananda in "The Essence of Bhagavad Gita", a book of 649 pages dedicated to the mindset of Yoga and its use in the modern world. Focusing on things even people who aren't followers of Yoga can appreciate, such as bringing one's soul to unite with the divine while still living life, preparing for life's final exams, and overcoming pain and suffering, "The Essence of Bhagavad Gita" is highly recommended for community library spirituality collections.

Is Jesus nothing more than a radical and charlatan from two thousand years ago? "Jesus the Wicked Priest: How Christianity Was Born of an Essene Schism" takes a hard look at the historical Jesus, referencing the dead sea scrolls that were found in 1947. Evaluating an argument that is heresy to many Christians, and seeking to reinforce it with a study of the immaculate conception and the resurrection, "Jesus the Wicked Priest: How Christianity Was Born of an Essene Schism" is a startling new look at Christianity.

Yoga is not spiritual hooha; there is a scientific element to the healing it provides alongside the spiritual. "Yoga Beyond Belief: Insights to Awaken and Deepen Your Practice" is a guide for Yoga users to enhance their experiences with their meditations and rituals. Although aimed at those with some experience, "Yoga Beyond Belief" is simple enough for novices to read and learn the art. A top pick for community library spirituality collections.

A comprehensive guide to understanding the Bible and what it means, "Esther: Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries" offers readers a complete examination of each biblical text's authorship, date of creation, setting, and what it was meant to do. A comprehensive analysis enhanced with further notes and opinionated commentaries, "Esther: Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries" is highly recommended for community library religious collections.

The Music Shelf

Any interested in the life and times of Tennessee Ernie Ford will relish this biography of his achievements in RIVER OF NO RETURN: TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD AND THE WOMAN HE LOVED. The couple's eldest son recalls family life and romance, and the high and low times of the Ford family as it coped with fame and its ultimate cost. His lively survey covers a life that produced many hits and classics fond to American memory and makes for a top pick for any library strong in music history and biographies.

Bob Dylan is argued by some to be the most influential American musician of the twentieth century. Now in a thoroughly updated and significantly expanded second edition, "Bob Dylan: A Descriptive, Critical Discography and Filmography 1961-2007" is a biography of Dylan through his art and contributions. Covering Dylan's long career of over fifty years as well as discussing each of his songs and films with a high degree of description, "Bob Dylan: A Descriptive, Critical Discography and Filmography 1961-2007" is deftly composed, and a top pick for community library music collections.

It Was All Right
James A. Mitchell
Wayne State University Press
4809 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201-1309
9780814333372, $24.95, www.wsupress.wayne.edu

The rock-and-roll lifestyle of the second half of the twentieth century the was the hectic lifestyle that so many people want to live. "It Was All Right: Mitch Ryder's Life in Music" follows famed artist Mitch Ryder as he relates his life story of nearly half a century in the music industry, making over 8,000 performances. Ryder's biography is well-written and enthralling, sprinkled with great road stories, and highly recommended for community library music collections as well as to any fan of the man himself.

The Self-Help Shelf

Lasting success can come from as little as seven intentional decisions – and the author has spent several decades studying some of the success stories that have revolved around these decisions. Andy Andrews' Mastering the Seven Decisions That Determine Personal Success (9780785261414, $19.99) blends profiles of very successful people with exercises designed to help readers translate these successes into action plans. Chapters give plenty of examples of responsible thinking, gratitude, and more in this outstanding survey of life improvements. Andrews' THE TRAVELER'S GIFT, (9780785264286, $19.99) expands on the theme, reviewing the seven decisions that lead to personal success and emphasizing and analyzing the difference between failure and success. David Ponder was a successful executive once, but feels like a total failure now: once an executive, he works a part-time, minimum-wage job and faces many crises. A life-threatening situation sends him on a journey of discovery in this inspirational saga.

Assertiveness means a lot in life, and can be the line between happiness and misery for many people. Now in its ninth edition, "Your Perfect Right: Assertiveness and Equality In Your Life and Relationships" gives advice to readers that can help them improve their attitude and personality, and indirectly help them deal with life's many challenges. A seminal guide to those who have let themselves be trod upon for too long, "Your Perfect Right: Assertiveness and Equality In Your Life and Relationships" is a must have for community library collections dedicated to self-help.

Are all men pigs? It's something many women may say after a long string of failed relationships. "Find a Great Guy: Now & Forever" encourages women not to give up; good men are out there, and with the advice given, women may be able to find the right one for themselves. Author Kristin Kuhns Alexandre is a veteran of two failed marriages and has done her research on which men truly are pigs, and which are the right types to spend one's life with. "Find a Great Guy: Now & Forever" is a must for any woman sick of being burned, and for community library relationship collections.

Public speaking – the key is not imagine everyone in their underwear, as pop culture often suggests. "Speak with Success: A Student's Step-by-Step Guide to Fearless Public Speaking" is a complete and comprehensive guide to overcoming stage fright and speaking in front of a crowd as if it were second nature. Covering how to give a proper speech depending on the speech's purpose, how to avoid having a nervous breakdown on stage, and much more, "Speak with Success: A Student's Step-by-Step Guide to Fearless Public Speaking" is a top pick for anyone facing the microphone and dreading it, and for community library self-help collections.

The mind is what tells one that the body is in pain; but one can tell the mind what to do at the same time. "Hypnotize Yourself Out of Pain Now! A Powerful, User-Friendly Program for Anyone Searching for Immediate Pain Relief" is a guide to using the skill of self-hypnosis to make one's mind ignore the pain of the body, so that one can get on with life. Claiming to be tried, tested, and proven by medical professionals, "Hypnotize Yourself Out of Pain Now! A Powerful, User-Friendly Program for Anyone Searching for Immediate Pain Relief" is highly recommended to anyone willing to attempt a new approach to their chronic pain management, and for community library self-help collections.

"I'll Stop Tomorrow: Alcoholism and the Journey to Recovery" - the titular words are a common excuse, uttered by those who want to quit but simply can't. Paul Campbell was one of those people; he had it all and lost it due to his demons. "I'll Stop Tomorrow: Alcoholism and the Journey to Recovery" covers his journey back to sobriety, and puts forward step by step guides, along with countless tips for stopping the drinking. Highly recommended for community library self-help collections.

Sheer force of will can do wonders for the psyche, and can help versus anything. If one lets something beat them mentally, they will also be beaten physically. "A Cancer Patient's Guide to Overcoming Depression & Anxiety: Getting Through Treatment & Getting Back to Your Life" is a guide to training one's mind and spirit to overcome cancer, one of the most soul-crushing things a person can be diagnosed with. Packed with non-stop tips to help one overcome the negative emotions that a cancer diagnosis generates, "A Cancer Patient's Guide to Overcoming Depression & Anxiety" offers an upbeat and optimistic outlook that will help readers steady their mind to fight alongside their body and defeat the cancer. "A Cancer Patient's Guide to Overcoming Depression & Anxiety" is a must for any cancer patient, and recommended for community library health & self-help shelves everywhere.

The edge of pulling the trigger and taking one's own life – is there a point of no return – a point where happiness is impossible? Not so, claims author Krista Kay Carlton in "I Created The Life of My Wildest Dreams – You Can Too! Simple Steps You Can Take to Create a Magnificent Life". In this quick, to the point handbook, she explains how she dragged herself out of that pit of misery and turned herself around using her own free will, determination, and faith in God. Saying everyone is a master of their own destiny, "I Created The Life of My Wildest Dreams – You Can Too! Simple Steps You Can Take to Create a Magnificent Life" is an uplifting tale, highly recommended to anyone who may be nearing that edge, and for community library self-help collections.

Getting one's head on straight is something highly underrated in today's society. "Journey from Head to Heart: Living and Working Authentically" is a guide to doing just that - living life while putting one's A-game and heart into it. The goal is to live one's life with personal gravitas and gusto, rather than the half-hearted shambling of someone living as an automaton. Designed to avoid being too touchy-feely (a common pitfall of many self-help guides), "Journey from Head to Heart" is highly recommended for community library collections.

To be alongside a parent faced with a terminal illness is a horrifying prospect. "Fishing in Heaven" is author Janet Childress's memoir of being faced with her father's inevitable death. An inspirational recollection of Janet's final days with her father and how she prayed to God for a miracle, and then praying for her father's soul as he passed on, "Fishing in Heaven" is an ideal gift for anyone with a parent nearing their last hours. An ideal pick for community library self-help collections.

What is a man? What is expected of an adult male in today's society? "How to Hit a Curve Ball, Grill the Perfect Steak, and Become a Real Man: Learning What Our Fathers Never Taught Us" is a handbook acknowledging that no father is a perfect father, just as no human is a perfect human. Tackling countless little tidbits of conventional male wisdom such as campfire building, fixing the toilet, and more, "How to Hit a Curve Ball, Grill the Perfect Steak, and Become a Real Man" is charming in its writing. A great pick for any man, and for community library self-help collections.

The Christian Studies Shelf

The Old Testament of the Bible is a major historical document from an era where not much history has been recorded. "Exploring the Old Testament: A Guide to the Prophets" is not a strictly Christian book looking to spread the gospel, but rather a text looking critically at the Bible within a historical context. Examining the roots of the prophets' books and their secular and theological contributions to the old world, "Exploring the Old Testament: A Guide to the Prophets" is highly recommended for community library theology collections.

This is my body, this is my blood – the rite of Eucharist. "Our Daily Bread: Glimpsing The Eucharist Through the Centuries" is a look at over two millennia of writings inspired by the Eucharist, from the earliest days of Christianity to letters Benedict XVI. A long, thorough, inspired and inspiring collection of poems and hymns written to strike the love of Christ within all who read them, "Our Daily Bread: Glimpsing The Eucharist Through the Centuries" is highly recommended for community library Christian studies collections.

Music has been a part of religion for as long as both existed. "The Mystery We Celebrate, The Song We Sing: A Theology of Liturgical Music" is a study of liturgical music and the relationship of the two through the ages. It also touches upon liturgical music's spiritual relevance and its contributions to religion as a whole. A scholarly examination from first page to last, enhanced with an index, "The Mystery We Celebrate, The Song We Sing: A Theology of Liturgical Music" is highly recommended for community library Christian collections.

Christianity – one of the most influential forces in the history of the western world. "A Chronology of World Christianity" is a long historical look at this world-changing concept started by a Jewish carpenter two thousand years ago. From the fall of Jerusalem to the election of Pope Benedict XVI, "A Chronology of World Christianity" is a complete and comprehensive coverage of the subject. It also tackles the subject of what precisely Christianity is in a scholarly manner. Enhanced with glossaries, indexes, a time line, and appendixes, "A Chronology of World Christianity" is a top pick for community library collections focusing on Christianity or World History, as well as general reference collections.

Idol worship is not strictly the territory of ancient pagan villages. "No Other Gods: Confronting Our Modern Day Idols" is a look at the human over-pursuit – where the desire becomes too great and rolls over into the arena of worship. A look into a woman's mind who was affected by this frenzy of materialism, "No Other Gods" is a spiritual guide about setting one's life's priorities in the right order. Highly recommended for community library Christian studies collections.

Anyone can be a messenger of God; one doesn't have to be a pastor or a priest. "Prophetic Fishing: Evangelism in the Power of the Spirit" is a guide to those who want to speak the word of Christ to their peers and anyone who needs it. With tips on overcoming one's under-confidence, "Prophetic Fishing" covers the challenges of evangelism thoroughly and completely. Highly recommended for community library Christian studies collections.

Very few people are devout Christians in the modern era; modernity erodes faith. "Finding Our Way Again: The Return of the Ancient Practices" is a guide to finding one's faith through looking to the past and the older methods of faith. With advice on following ancient practices of early Christians to restore one's faith in today's world, suggesting disciplines such as fixed hour prayer, sacred meals, pilgrimage, fasting and other concepts, "Finding Our Way Again: The Return of the Ancient Practices" is highly recommended for community library Christian studies collections.

Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, Unitarian – so many denominations, how could Christianity be really united? "Conviction without Compromise: Standing Strong in the Core Beliefs of the Christian Faith" is a guide to unify Christianity as a whole through the essential beliefs of the religion, striving to cut down on the squabbles between people who all hold that Jesus is the son of God. Outlining the essential and nonessential teachings of the religion, "Conviction without Compromise: Standing Strong in the Core Beliefs of the Christian Faith" is highly recommended for community library Christian collections.

The Bible's words in the realm of feminism are not one of strict antagonism; there are positive messages as well. "Lost Women of the Bible: The Women We Thought We Knew" is a look at the iconic women of the Bible and their message to the women of today. A book of solid encouragement for women who still hold their faith dear, "Lost Women of the Bible: The Women We Thought We Knew" is a top pick for both Christian and women's studies community library collections.

Though Jesus Christ is one of the most famous men to ever walk the earth, his life is constantly disputed. "Engaging Theology: Catholic Perspectives" tries to view Jesus in a more historical nature during his life, examining the impact of his deeds on the Christian world following his death and supposed resurrection. "Engaging Theology: Catholic Perspectives" is a deftly written examination, and a top pick for Christian studies collections.

Theology is a funny but frank conversation. In "The Formation of Christian Doctrine", author and assistant dean for Theological Studies at Oxford University Malcolm B. Yarnell III demonstrates what is at stake, attempting to speak of truth and love to the broader Christian community. Possibly the most important book in Baptist theology in the past fifty years, "The Formation of Christian Doctrine" has the highest recommendation to college Christian study shelves and for anyone seeking a more in depth understanding of Christianity's doctrine.

The numbers of people attending church on Sunday is dwindling year after year. "Too Busy Not to Pray" urges Christians around the globe to reconsider this act of cutting God's time when their own world is too busy. "Too Busy Not to Pray" also offers insightful advice on how to squeeze time into one's life to pray once more, enhancing one's relationship with God and finding one's own happiness in the process. Now in a special revised and enhanced twentieth anniversary edition, "Too Busy Not to Pray" is highly recommended for community library Christianity collections.

Walking on a Rolling Deck: Life on the Ark is the true-life memoir of author Kathleen C. Berken, of her life-changing choice to work as a live-in assistant in a L'Arche community in Clinton, Iowa, aiding men with developmental disabilities. A deeply spiritual testimony, Walking on a Rolling Deck tells of the inevitable difficulties of adjusting to change, confronting the specter of breast cancer, but most of all, of the benevolent power of God's love - a power all too often ignored, neglected, or obscured in today's world. Ultimately a simple story of Christian life and the resonance of faith, illustrated with a handful of black-and-white photographs, Walking on a Rolling Deck is highly recommended for Christian readers and anyone seeking to quietly contemplate the mystery of God that permeates even the most mundane aspects of daily life.

God is always around us, and one's relationship with Him depends on one's actions. "Engaging With the Holy Spirit: Real Questions, Practical Answers" is a book dedicated to helping those who have lost their way to return to the path of wholeness and stop blaspheming. Answering questions on prayer, just what blasphemy is, why some resist God's love, and more, "Engaging with the Holy Spirit: Real Questions: Practical Answers" is a essential pick for any Christian and for community library Christian studies collections.

Love for one's neighbor was one of the core teachings of Jesus Christ. "Compelled by Love: The Most Excellent Way to Missional Living" is a handbook for Christians to find the love of God, use it to complete themselves, and spread it to others as well. Also included is a crash course in basic theology, enhanced with biblical texts and advice on applying what one learns. "Compelled by Love: The Most Excellent Way to Missional Living" is a top pick for community library Christian studies collections.

The spiritual guidance one needs to get through life is always there – it just needs to be found. "Calling Your Angel: Getting In Touch With Your Angel Self" is a guide to improving one's own connection to faith and spirituality, the better to draw oneself closer to God and prepare to deal with the myriad problems of life. Quoting the Bible and other great written pieces, "Calling Your Angel: Getting In Touch With Your Angel Self" is a top pick for anyone looking to restore their faith, and for community library Christian collections.

The Fiction Shelf

A government agent, a cousin of Jefferson Davis, spoiled brats – all are characters sure to intrigue readers in "Shadows of Mulberry", a chronicle following four generations of a family with a noble Southern lineage in the state of Kentucky, from the late 1800s to the mid 1900s. The characters of this family are well-formed, sure to keep readers glued to the page. "Shadows of Mulberry" is a good pick for community library fiction collections, and anyone who enjoys a set of solid stories.

Autism wasn't always known as autism, or even diagnosed. Some people were just seen as slow. "The Legend of Mickey Tussler" is the fictional story of one of these people with autism before autism was recognized. In this tale, Arthur Murphy discovers Mickey Tussler, a ball player who might just save the Milwaukee Brewers from their abysmal record. Mickey, however, doesn't seem to be all there, and faces adversity from both his teammates and the fans in the stands. A touching story of finding one's dream even when the cards dealt to one are poor, "The Legend of Mickey Tussler" is highly recommended for community library literary fiction collections.

Finely translated into English by Dalya Bilu, "Dearest Anne: A Tale of Impossible Love" is the story of Rivi, many decades after a lesbian love affair with her teacher. The teacher, Michaela, has passed on, and Rivi returns to Israel to pay her condolences and mourn a relationship that could never be. Faced with the results of her decision in life, she turns to her notebooks addressed to Anne Frank to help her reflect. An original tale, "Dearest Anne: A Tale of Impossible Love" is highly recommended for community library world fiction collections.

Conflict is brewing on the other side of the world as China and Russia grit their teeth at one another, and President Abigail Cass Steele must decide the fate of the United States. "Madam President and the Admiral" is a delightful mix of genres, acting as both a political and a military thriller; as President Cass faces the personal element of having to send the man she loves to a potential death, an element of romance is stirred in. "Madam President and the Admiral" is highly recommended for community library romance collections and for anyone who enjoys a mix of genre.

With the verge of adulthood comes the pressure of being responsible for oneself and not shaming one's family. Sarah must deal with all this in "Wild Mulberries". Her Lebanese village is on the verge of collapse financially, and her life seems to be falling apart. She must confront difficult choices in this seminal picture of life in small town Lebanon. Highly recommended for community library world fiction collections.

Sequoyah, Georgia is home to the entertaining cast of characters of "The Front Porch Prophet". A.J. Longstreet is faced with his own mortality as he's diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He contemplates the possibility of circumventing his suffering with a mercy killing. As he ponders his life and death, he runs into countless characters, all odd and unique, who teach him something about life. This leaves his question open concerning what to do with his life, or what's left of it. "The Front Porch Prophet" is an intriguing and clever tale, highly recommended for community library fiction collections.

Bitter feelings die hard. "Waiting for the Light to Change" follows Sarah when her hated ex-husband re-emerges into her life. It doesn't help that the students in the high school class she teaches are undermining her authority, and her daughter has problems as well. "Waiting for the Light to Change" is ultimately the charming story of a woman trying to find happiness when everything is against her, something many women will relate to. A top pick for community library fiction collections.

What if you met someone who brought out your latent psychic powers – but you simply could not stand them? "Powers" follows Gwen and Adrian as they deal with this supernatural situation, and end up being at each other's throats, using one another and abusing one another's power. A story of destructive manipulation and control, "Powers" is intriguing from first page to last, and highly recommended for community library science fiction collections.

Who's real and who's hiding? "Daughter of War" follows Marta as she must hide her true nature, disguising herself as a Muslim woman during the genocide of the Armenian people. Separating from her friends and family, she hopes they have hidden from their oppressors as well – but if they are hiding, how on earth will she find them once more? "Daughter of War" is a deftly written historical fiction novel, sure to enthrall readers with a story set amid events that truly happened. A top pick for community library literary collections.

Life goes on – it always goes on, and one has to keep up with it to survive. "Chicken Foot Farm" is the story of a Mexican American family, set just after World War II has begun in Europe. They deal with random events that life throws at them – consuming fires, the senility of old age, sibling rivalry, approval of one's parents, and the omnipresent influence of a world war. Though all these things are horrible, it is heartwarming to see how the family copes with each of them. "Chicken Foot Farm" is a deftly written literary novel, highly recommended for community library collections.

2012 is the end of the Mayan calendar, and what some hold as the forthcoming apocalypse. "The Aquarians: An Ancient Mayan Prophecy – a Modern Phenomenon" tells of author Troy Wallace's research on the edge of a major scientific breakthrough in his study of the dolphins. His companion Rebecca Larson, also a student of the dolphins, believes that 2012 is when Humanity will begin to learn from the dolphins how to integrate their peaceful society, and live in harmony. As Wallace and Larson collide with a shallow Hollywood celebrity, their quest for the truth takes a surprising turn. A story which will intrigue the reader from page to page, "The Aquarians: An Ancient Mayan Prophecy – a Modern Phenomenon" is a top pick for community library fiction collections and for fans of conspiracy fiction.

If you were responsible for something horrible, would you have the courage to confess for your sins? "Wise as a Serpent... Harmless as a Dove" follows Darrel Lavar Love as he faces an internal conflict of overwhelming guilt within himself. His secret may be responsible for rise of crime and corruption in the city of Gary, Indiana – a city that Love was suppose to be watching over as its guardian. "Wise as a Serpent... Harmless as a Dove" is a deftly written novel for Christian readers, and should find a place in every community library Christian fiction collection.

Writer's block is when a writer simply cannot make himself come up with anything, even if a gun is held to his head. "The Possessed" follows Johnny Dove as he faces this problem and his world falls apart. With nowhere to turn, Johnny accepts a risk and buys what is promoted as a haunted antique pen. What's the worst that could happen? "The Possessed" is highly recommended to horror fans and for community library collections.

Speaking to dolphins is one thing – discovering their secret is another. "Whispers from the Bay" follows Mike Connelly as he finds he has a connection with these sea mammals, and soon develops a method of communication with them. Through his adventures with his new found aquatic friends, everything seems fine as first, but he discovers something the dolphins want him to keep secret. Can he stay true to his word when faced with such knowledge? "Whispers from the Bay" is sure to please dolphin lovers, and is a top pick for community library fiction collections.

The Islamic Studies Shelf

The Sacred Foundations of Justice in Islam: The Teachings of Ali ibn Abi Talib is an anthology of scholarly essays by learned authors (including two by prize-winning scholar Seyyed Hossein Nasr) discussing the teachings of the first Shia Imam (the fourth Caliph of Sunni Islam, and one of the forefathers of Sufism) that contemplate those foundations of human governance that transcend the mundane realities of life. Issues discussed include the metaphysical questions "What is meant by Justice?", "What does it mean to be Just?" and "How is Justice related to Truth and the very structure of Reality?" The next best thing to studying Ali's writings in their original language, The Sacred Foundations of Justice in Islam is a welcome addition to philosophical discussion shelves as well as Sufi studies shelves.

When people speak of world influencing countries, Nigeria is almost never mentioned. "Faith and Politics in Nigeria: Nigeria as a Pivotal State in the Muslim World" examines Nigeria, a major oil producer and the most populous country in Africa, and already a definite major influence in its region. Yet this African country's influence could be much more; its population is split between Muslims and Christians, and they live with little conflict. Proposing a model for other Islamic countries to follow, "Faith and Politics in Nigeria: Nigeria as a Pivotal State in the Muslim World" is highly recommended for personal, academic, and community Islamic Studies and International Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Artistic works often hold hidden occult secrets, and so Ernesto Frers's Secret Societies and the Hermetic Code (9781594772085, $16.95) offers up research ranging from the early paintings of Byzantine times to Dali, and from the Pyramids to architecture. Music also is surveyed in a powerful connection between religious societies and artistic codes, with full-color photos liberally peppered throughout for a pageant of display and visualization. Perfect not just for new age collections, but for art library holdings as well. Adrian Murdoch's THE LAST PAGAN: JULIAN THE APOSTATE AND THE DEATH OF THE ANCIENT WORLD (9781594772269, $16.95) tells of the violent death of the emperor Julian and his journey from his Christian childhood to his involvement in pagan cults and his mission to establish paganism as the dominant faith of the Roman world. An eye-opening alternate history that uses over 700 pages of Julian's original writings to provide some eye-opening new revelations on his beliefs. Sabine Lucas, Ph.D.'s PAST LIFE DREAMWORK: HEALING THE SOUL THROUGH UNDERSTANDING KARMIC PATTERNS (9781591430759, $16.00) examines 'soul bloodlines' representing successive past lives, using the results of nearly thirty years of personal and professional work to explore how past life memories help with karma work. From different kinds of past life dreams to case studies of dream therapy results, the focus in PAST LIFE DREAMWORK offers many paths for healing.

What in the Universe is going on with our universe? "The Unknown Universe: The Origin of the Universe, Quantum Gravity, Wormholes, and Other Things Science Still Can't Explain" looks at these baffling questions that humanity doesn't have the answer to and potentially never will. With a focus on the enigma of dark matter, and a sudden challenge to the almost-accepted-as-fact theory of gravity, "The Unknown Universe" is a thought provoking look at little pieces of information that completely turn everything humanity knows upside down. Highly recommended for community library metaphysical studies collections.

Those who love space and its study are in for a treat with "The Harmonic Conquest of Space". Veteran author on the subject Bruce Cathie covers a wide array of topics, focusing on the harmonic qualities of astrological bodies such as the Moon. An intriguing and educational read from page one to page two hundred seven, "The Harmonic Conquest of Space" is highly recommended for community library metaphysical studies collections.

Written by a full-time Tarot reader and teacher, Tarot for Life is a straightforward introduction to the art and practice of Tarot readings. Each chapter is centered upon a different Major Arcana or relevant Minor Arcana; ethics, affirmations, guided meditations, and the relationships of the Tarot to everyday life are discussed as well as the basics of how to properly interpret the cards. The true goal of Tarot for Life is not only to prepare the willing student to undertake Tarot readings, but also to communicate the spirit behind the Tarot itself. Black-and-white illustrations enhance this enthusiastically recommended primer. "Curses and hexes are extremely rare, not because they are difficult but because anyone who is mentally focused enough to use them effectively can usually find a way to get what they want without hurting anybody. Many people believe themselves cursed because of a run of bad luck, perhaps preceded by an argument with someone believed to have 'the power'. The best way to deal with this is to show the person how to raise their own energy level, perhaps through something like the Grounding or Shielding exercise but with a different emphasis."

Enochian Vision Magick: An Introduction and Practical Guide to the Magick of Dr. John Dee and Edward Kelley is an extensive reference to the system of Enochian Magick, as communicated to Elizabethan magus Dr. John Dee (1527-1608) and his clairvoyant associate Edward Kelley by the same angels that delivered sacred scripture to Adam, Enoch, and the patriarchs of the Old Testament. Enochian Magick became more widely known due to the 20th-century research and practice of Aleister Crowley. Now, readers have access to an intuitive, step-by-step guide to the processes of the Enochian Magick system, complete with in-depth background, black-and-white diagrams, and historical notes. Author Lon Milo DuQuette presents a solid reference grounded in experience, as he has practiced Enochian Vision Magick for over 25 years. A user-friendly guide, recommended for anyone interested in learning about this mind and soul-expanding mystical practice.

"The UFO Experience Reconsidered: Science and Speculation" is not a typical UFO book. Hoping to tactfully and thoroughly attack potential concepts on all sides of the debate of 'Are We Alone?', "The UFO Experience Reconsidered" focuses on hard science, and avoids falling into the trap of simply recounting abduction stories and conspiracy theories. Highly recommended for community library metaphysical studies collections and for anyone who wants a rational look at the debate.

The Health/Medicine Shelf

It is never wise to completely shun a proven method, and it's never wise to shun all alternatives as well. "Book of Alternative Medicine: The New Approach to Using The Best of Natural Therapies and Conventional Medicine" is a scholarly written and researched guidebook to alternative medicine, combining natural therapies and the conventional wisdom of modern science to find solutions when the common method fails alone. A seminal piece that should be read by all who want to keep their health up to snuff, "Book of Alternative Medicine: The New Approach to Using The Best of Natural Therapies and Conventional Medicine" is highly recommended for community library medicine collections.

Could free market competition be what that saves medicine? "Markets Without Magic: How Competition Might Save Medicine" is an examination of the current health care epidemic with a focus on Medicare. Claiming that promoting competition between private health care companies by encouraging them to insure the uninsured could save American health care as a whole, "Markets Without Magic" is a dissenting viewpoint against America's problems that backs up what it says and offers a solution. A scholarly take on the subject, recommended for any community library collection covering the health care issue.

Cancer is something that many people fear, but what is truly known about it? "Fundamentals of Cancer Epidemiology" is a scholarly text examining this blight of mankind, and medical science's advancing knowledge of it. Now in an updated second edition, "Fundamentals of Cancer Epidemiology" includes new chapters on screening, drugs, pediatric cancers, prevention strategies, and up to date information just as the book went to press. Enhanced with glossaries and indexes, "Fundamentals of Cancer Epidemiology" is highly recommended for college medical science and health collections.

Most deaths by heart attacks can be prevented with proper medical treatment – but all too often that treatment is not administered in time. "Recognizing and Surviving Heart Attacks and Strokes: Lifesaving Advice You Need Now" is a compilation of invaluable and vital information for those who are in serious danger of heart attack. Claiming that if one acts on the early signs of the disease, one may escape the heart attack with no long lasting damage, "Recognizing and Surviving Heart Attacks and Strokes: Lifesaving Advice You Need Now" is a must for anyone in danger and for community library health collections.

The Biography Shelf

THE MAN WHO LOVED CHINA: JOSEPH NEEDHAM ND THE MAKING OF A MASTERPIECE reviews the life of an eccentric who moved from being a biochemist at Cambridge to marrying a visiting Chinese student and journeying to China. His fascination with and scholarship into Chinese history and enigmas produced a 24-volume treatise on SCIENCE AND CIVILIZATION OF CHINA, which remains the longest book on China ever written in English. An outstanding survey blends Needham's life with an outline of Chinese accomplishments and history.

Love – very rarely does it happen with nothing else happening, as romance novels wrongly lead people to believe. "The Stork's Nest: Life and Love in the Russian Countryside" is the story of Laura Lynne Williams, who made a trip to the hugely expansive wilderness of Russia where she sought to work for a nature reserve, but fell in love with a photographer called Igor. She soon began to call the Russian wilderness home. "The Stork's Nest: Life and Love in the Russian Countryside" is a charming story, highly recommended for any community library memoir collection.

Westward We Came: A Norwegian Immigrant's Story, 1866-1898 is the first-hand memoir of Harold B. Kildahl, Sr., a Norwegian immigrant to America who came to the New World in 1866. He and his family witnessed historic events such as the notorious James-Younger gang bank raid in Northfield, Minnesota and the beginning of St. Olaf college. Westward We Came offers insight into the hardships, satisfactions, and daily routine of pioneer life. In 1888, Kildahl returned to Minnesota to gain an education at St. Olaf College and the Lutheran Seminary, where he was ordained, married, and became a pastor in the Lutheran faith. An authentic settler narrative, that virtually opens a window in time to over a hundred years ago.

A finalist for the Oklahoma Book Award, Children of the Dust: An Okie Family Story is the personal memoir of author Betty Grant Henshaw, who was born into a large family of tenant farmers in Oklahoma during the terrible time of the Dust Bowl. Her father, Bill, worked himself to exhaustion striving to provide for his wife and nine children; eventually his family had to migrate to California, where he worked in the fields in hundred-degree heat. Yet he instilled respect for hard work in his children, and kept family solidarity through trying times. Highly recommended as a powerful and profound story of salt-of-the-earth people proudly doing their best to survive.

Everyone needs something to hold on to, in order to brace themselves against the oncoming storm that is life. "Stone Crossings: Finding Grace in Hard and Hidden Places" is L.L. Barkat's reflections on her journey through this terrible storm, finding her comfort in the words of other writers, stories of the people alongside her, and in God. A charming and inspirational story all the way through, "Stone Crossings: Finding Grace in Hard and Hidden Places" is a top pick for community library memoir collections and for anyone who also needs something to hold on to.

A lot can happen in seven years, even in a small town. "Broad is the Way: Stories from Mayerthorpe" is a compilation of anecdotal stories by author Margaret Norquay, about the time she spent in Mayerthorpe, a small village in Alberta in western Canada. She speaks of the toil of orphaned children, the challenges of everyday life, and encounters with Mounties investigating the church. A somber but inspiring view of small town life, "Broad is the Way: Stories from Mayerthorpe" is a virtual window small-town Canada's past, and a top pick for community library memoir collections.

Blindness is a handicap – but one that, with determination, can be overcome. "Do You See What I See? Lasers and Love, ESP and the CIA, and the Meaning of Life" is the story of Russell Targ, a physicist responsible for many advances in the research of laser and optic technology. He speaks of the more questionable projects he performed over the years, only recently declassified to the knowledge of the public, as well as his relationships with other notable individuals such as Chess Champion Bobby Fisher and novelist Ayn Rand. "Do You See What I See? Lasers and Love, ESP and the CIA, and the Meaning of Life" is a remarkable tale, highly recommended for community library biography collections.

To truly understand a culture, one must be a part of it – Princess Der Ling has done this for more cultures than a great majority of the world. "Imperial Masquerade: The Legend of Princess Der Ling" tells of Der Ling, who lived a life that would put the most trumped up fictional character to shame. Catholicism, Confucianism, American, Chinese are all adjectives that could describe her as a woman, in a time where woman were regarded as little more than second class. An enthralling tale from first page to last, "Imperial Masquerade: The Legend of Princess Der Ling" is a top pick for community library collections focusing on biography.

Unbridled Cowboy is the autobiography of author Joseph B. Fussell, a free spirit who sought his own destiny in the wild American Southwest during the late 1800s. At the young age of fourteen, Joe Fussell took to the rails to escape the school and harsh authority that chafed him. He became a roving cowpuncher in Texas territory, rustling cattle, tilling land, working in stables, and hitting the road whenever wanderlust stirred. Unbridled Cowboy is filled cover to cover with riveting true tales of undercover work as a Texas Ranger, life on the railroads, and rough justice. A captivating true life narrative of the wild west.

Prodigal Genius: The Life of Nikola Tesla is the amazing true-life biography of inventor extraordinaire Nikola Tesla (1856-1943), a friend of Mark Twain and George Westinghouse, and a rival of Thomas Edison. Tesla invented the AC electrical current; his talent for inventions and scientific advancement was enhanced by his ability to visualize three-dimensional images of his inventions, saving money and effort on prototype constructions. Though his prodigal talents brought him great wealth and recognition - he made his first million before he turned forty - he refused to accept the Nobel Prize, chose to give away his royalties as a token of friendship, and died nearly penniless. His dream was to provide the world with sources of energy and wonders of technology that were free to enrich the lives of all, rather than fuel the profit margin of corporate sponsors. Yet for his selfless ideals, he received derision and disdain. Written by John J. O'Neill, a personal friend of Tesla's, and originally published in 1944, Prodigal Genius remains the seminal biography of a staunchly ethical man of science, who deserves far more honor than history has given him.

Remembering Nureyev: The Trail of a Comet is a biography of acclaimed male ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev, as told by one of his closest friends, the European choreographer Rudi van Dantzig, who first met Nureyev when Nureyev asked for permission to dance in one of van Dantzig's ballets. Expertly translated into English by Katie de Haan, Remembering Nureyev is a tale of conflict as well as closeness; though Nureyev was a genius in the realm of ballet, his over-the-top lifestyle frequently brought him at odds with Dantzig, who had a very strict concept of how his dances should be performed and portrayed. Dantzig eventually fired Nureyev as the advance of years took its toll upon his skills and his life. An eye-opening, firsthand testimony of the bond between artists.

John Ringo King of the Cowboys, second edition
David Johnson
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336, Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574412437, $29.95 www.tamu.edu/upress 1-800-826-8911

Now in an updated second edition, John Ringo King of the Cowboys: His Life and Times from the Hoo Doo War to Tombstone is a biography of one of the most well-known gunmen of the American West. Deprived of his father during a family overland trek to California, and enmeshed in a blood feud engulfing post-Reconstruction Texas, Ringo earned his reputation as one of the deadliest gunfighters alive. After being incarcerated for his role in the feud, Ringo was elected as a lawman in Mason County, where the feud had originated. Ringo remained firmly in the center of the region's partisan politics and outbursts of violence as a lethal enemy to raiders and a champion of the (mostly Democratic) ranchers. He was an antagonist of the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday, and was part of the posse that eventually routed them from Arizona. Ringo's death remains partly a mystery; he perished in the Arizona desert, his name revered by some and cursed by others. An absorbing, skillfully told narrative biography that effectively transports the reader to a rugged and lawless century past.

The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

When Joe and Kathleen Camp began to live with horses they were completely clueless, but they carried a strong desire to learn. "The Soul of a Horse: Life Lessons From the Herd" is the story of their journey with and education about the hoofed species. Joe Camp (the creator of the fictional canine Benji) writes how his experiences with canines helped him learn about equines. He tells of how modern horses should be kept and cared for while trying to make "The Soul of a Horse" more than simply another horse book, an act which he executes successfully. "The Soul of a Horse: Life Lessons From the Herd" is highly recommended for community library pet and wildlife collections, and to horse loves everywhere.

Hiking can be a fine pastime, and it can be even more so when done with man's best friend. "Best Hikes with Dogs: Central California" is a complete and comprehensive guide to fifty-five hiking trails throughout the central area of California. The hikes outlined are dog friendly, and give plenty of tips on caring for the pooch and preparing for the hikes so they are safe and therefore fun for both dog and master. A great gift for Californian dog lovers, "Best Hikes with Dogs: Central California" would do well to find itself in Californian community library pet collections.

A race horse cannot be a race horse throughout its entire existence – age catches up with us all, even horses. "Beyond the Track: Retraining the Thoroughbred from Racehorse to Riding Horse" is a guide for those who want to train a former racing horse to adapt to a more leisurely career as it passes its prime. With tips on purchasing from the track, the adoption process, health issues of race horses, and general tips on retraining, "Beyond the Track" is a comprehensive guide for anyone in this situation. Highly recommended for community library pet and wildlife collections.

If one wants to experience the other species of nature, one doesn't have to go far - "Call of the Northwoods" is a look at the forests that surround much of the northern United States and the lush and flourishing wildlife found within. Covering 106 different species that one can find in these areas including birds, wolves, turtles, bears, and others, "Call of the Nothwoods" is the ideal guide for any nature lover. "Call of the Northwoods" is enhanced with a CD featuring the sounds of the woods, making it highly recommended for community library wildlife collections.

Training one's pet can be a truly rewarding experience for both pet and pet owner. "Agility: Start to Finish" is a complete and comprehensive guide for pet owners who want to teach their pet to do more – and maybe learn something about themselves in the process. Focusing on the many details one must note as they train their dog, from the dog's age to the owner's body language, "Agility: Start to Finish" is a top pick for any pet owner, and for community library pet and wildlife collections.

The mind of a dog is not an entirely simple thing as most people think; training them is a science nonetheless. "Oh Behave! Dogs from Pavlov to Premack to Pinker" is a guide for dog owners looking to train their dog with firmness but without cruelty. "Oh Behave!" Answers common training questions about nature and nurture, conditioning, how one's personality affects the dog, and more, all while dispelling countless myths about dog training. An essential pick for dog owners and for community library pet collections.

The American History Shelf

A look at one of the most celebrated figures in American history – in the form of postcards. "Abraham Lincoln: An Illustrated Biography in Postcards" covers this great man's life, illustrated with nearly three hundred postcards from various eras. Depicting a conflicted, brooding man who led America through the Civil War and was struck down in his prime for it, "Abraham Lincoln: An Illustrated Biography in Postcards" is a top pick for American History and Biography collections and for anyone interested in history from a fresh perspective.

Abolitionist Politics and the Coming of the Civil War
James Brewer Stewart
University of Massachusetts Press
East Experiment Station, 671 North Pleasant, St., Amherst, MA 01003
9781558496354, $24.95, www.umass.edu/umpress

In the early 1800s, slavery's values were as widely promoted as buying American cars are in today's world. "Abolitionist Politics and the Coming of the Civil War" is a complete and comprehensive examination of America's early years and its politics regarding slavery – and how a few fledgling activists turned America around and against this mindset, beginning a chain of events that freed an entire people. A story of how even the smallest minority can set events in motion, "Abolitionist Politics and the Coming of the Civil War" is highly recommended for both American history and black studies collections alike.

"Glorified Chicken Coops" leaves little to exaggeration when explaining the story of author Tanya Cole's family history and their conditions living in the Great Depression. A compelling cast of characters follows her family they try to claw their way through the muck blocking them from the American dream. A thoroughly entertaining family history, "Glorified Chicken Coops" is a top pick for anyone interested in Depression era living and community library American history and memoir collections.

Pot Roast, Politics, and Ants in the Pantry: Missouri's Cookbook Heritage is not a cookbook per se - rather, it is a surprisingly involved treasury of anecdotes concerning the history of cookbooks and food preparation in Missouri, the Show Me State. From traditional "kitchen medicine", to household tips that have been passed down through the generations, to extensive cookbook collections preserved in libraries, historical societies, and the shelves of private individuals, to how the Internet has transformed modern-day recipe sharing, Pot Roast, Politics, and Ants in the Pantry is a thoroughly entertaining tour de force of how love of good Missouri cooking has been passed along through the generations.

New Territories, New Perspectives: The Religious Impact of the Louisiana Purchase is an anthology of scholarly essays by learned authors examining how the Louisiana Purchase - which doubled the fledgling America's territory - permanently transformed American culture in general and religion in particular. A predominantly Protestant culture spread westward, further intermixing with the meld that began when French and Spanish Catholic missionaries brought their faiths to native peoples. Individual writings include "Mixed-Race Ecstasy across a Single Line: The Deep South Roots of Pentecostal Tongue Speaking", "Voudou Purchase: The Louisiana Purchase in the Caribbean World", "Spirituality and Resistance among African-Creoles", and much more. "The interweaving of blood and culture between Africans and Native Americans in the plantation regions may not have been as extensive as the interweaving between Africans and Europeans, but it ran deep where it occurred, much deeper than is acknowledged in the average North American history." Thoughtfully researched and engagingly presented, New Territories, New Perspectives is highly recommended especially for college library collections.

The Photography Shelf

Amherst Media
Box 586, Buffalo, NY 14226
www.amherstmedia.com

Acclaimed children's portrait photographer Sandy Puc' covers all facets of producing a 'kid care' system to produce engaging, professional photos of kids of all ages. From designing a kid-friendly studio and using pre-session consultations to working with kids of all ages to draw them out, THE SANDY PUC' GUIDE TO CHILDREN'S PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY (9781584282341, $34.95) offers up a host of tips and tricks of the trade and is perfect for any who would open their own studio. Kathleen Hawkins' GUIDE TO SALES AND MARKETING FOR PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS (9781584282327, $34.95) is a top pick for any photographer who would profit from efforts. From developing a solid marketing plan and using sales skills to determining ways to reach clients and using relationship marketing to boost efforts, this blends solid business strategy with applications specific to professional photographers. Dr. Glenn Rand's FILM & DIGITAL TECHNIQUES FOR ZONE SYSTEM PHOTOGRAPHY (9781584282273, $34.95) tells how to take control of photographic results using the Zone System which emphasizes black and white photography and is based on the techniques of Ansel Adams. This is an unusual systematic approach which offers tips for using the system, identifying its place in typical workflows, and honing techniques for using with the Zone System. Photography libraries catering to practicing professionals and neo-professionals need this.

The debut monograph of photography artist Thomas Allen, Uncovered: Photographs by Thomas Allen presents surprisingly lascivious images from pulp paperbacks of bygone decades, constructed into humorous and witty scenes (utilizing no digital aftereffects at all!). For example, in "Thirst" a sexy woman reaches her hand toward a man with a bottle on an adjacent volume, while in "Teeter" a man losing his balance is about to hit a precariously stacked set of paperbacks. A board book with a die-cut cover, Uncovered lets its twenty-seven four-color images speak largely for themselves. A treat for anyone who fondly remembers the trashy novel covers of yesteryear, featuring a wealth of creativity and re-imagining of bygone themes.

Iwo Jima, Pearl Harbor – everyone knows of those battles, but there was much more to World War II in the Pacific. "New Georgia, Bougainville, and Cape Gloucester: The U.S. Marines in World War II" is a pictorial history of these forgotten battles and the men who fought and died, only to be lost in the sands of time. Filled cover to cover with countless black and white photos and accompanying explanations, "New Georgia, Bougainville, and Cape Gloucester: The U.S. Marines in World War II" is a top pick for community library photography and history collections.

"It's Beautiful Here, Isn't It..." is not just a book title; it's a statement that perfectly sums up this newest collection of photography from Luigi Ghirri. Filled with countless color photos, as well as essays covering Ghirri's reflections on the time he took the photos and the atmosphere surrounding the events, "It's Beautiful Here, Isn't It..." adds a personal touch to the gorgeous shots on film. "It's Beautiful Here, Isn't It..." is an ideal coffee table book and a top pick for community library photography collections.

Today, East Indians are the largest Asian-American group in the Chicago area. Asian Indians of Chicago brings the story of this Chicago community to life through black-and-white photography as well as select personal documents. Each photograph has a descriptive caption; together they show people at work, at play, at social gatherings, at festivals, or simply going about their day-to-day lives. Asian Indians of Chicago is thoroughly enjoyable to simply page through, and a wondrous visual treasury of a vibrant, thriving culture.

The Computer Shelf

It may be a hard start, but the ultimate product will be worth it. "Building a Server with FreeBSD7: A Modular Approach" is a complete and comprehensive guide to building a web server with the free operating system known as FreeBSD. A step by step guide sure to educate even the most clueless technophobes, "Building a Server with FreeBSD7" covers simply everything that anyone needs to know to get the service up and running. An essential read for any open source fan who needs a server, and for community library computer collections.

Groovy – it's not the philosophy of the 1960s, it's a programming language, and a good one too. "Programming Groovy: Dynamic Productivity for the Java Developer" is a thorough and educational guide to this programming language, which can bring developers many things they need and want to do in their programs. With tips on how to effectively mix both Java and Groovy, and with plenty of advanced programming techniques, "Programming Groovy: Dynamic Productivity for the Java Developer" is a top pick for community library computer collections and for any Java programmer.

Microsoft Works 9, while easy to use for the most basic of purposes, is difficult to master. "No Stress Tech Guide to Microsoft Works 9" is the manual that should have been included with the product in the first place, covering every aspect of the program from word processing to spreadsheets, to databases and so much more. Speaking in a technophobe friendly, at times humorous, conversational tone throughout, it's one manual that is not a complete chore to read. The "No Stress Tech Guide to Microsoft Works 9" is a top pick for anyone trying to master the application, and for community library computer collections. Also recently released in the No Stress Tech Guide series is the "No Stress Tech Guide to Crystal Reports Basic for Visual Studio 2008 for Beginners" (9780977391288, $59.99), which is as informed and informative as the first.

Java can be used in countless applications and websites with very little problems from the viewer; an ideal component for a designer. The second edition of "Murach's Java Servlets and JSP" is a complete and comprehensive technical guide for those who wish to master the program and use it to its very fullest. Covering just about anything one can do with the program, and enhanced with a web address that can be accessed for further resources for programmers, "Murach's Java Servlets and JSP" is a top pick for community library collections.

The Business Shelf

Under the table, off the books - few entrepreneurs get their start in the most honest way possible. "The Hidden Enterprise Culture: Entrepreneurship in the Underground Economy" is an analytical survey of this underappreciated segment of the business world, commonly ignored by most books on business and economics. With advice on harnessing the underground's business advantages, and tips on how to turn businesses that start in this grey territory into fully legitimate companies, "The Hidden Enterprise Culture: Entrepreneurship in the Underground Economy" is a top pick for any economist or academician interested in this field, as well as for any underground entrepreneur who wants to make their enterprise lawful with the fewest possible legal complications.

Estimates for contractors are virtually a form of on the job gambling, but more skill than luck is involved. The new 2008 edition of "General Contracting Costbook" is a superbly organized, 'user friendly' guide for contractors to more accurately give their clients estimates on how much it will cost to correctly and efficiently do the job while keeping the contractor out of the poor house. An easy to use reference that should be on the desk of every contractor, "General Contracting Costbook" is highly recommended for professional and community library construction and business finance reference collections.

FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS: THE INTERGENERATIONAL DANGERS OF FISCAL IRRESPONSIBILITY discusses national debt in more personal terms than most, explaining why federal debt is rising, its effects on Americans, how our government borrows and pays back money, and how rising expenses and insufficient government revenues are colliding. Any business library strong in government spending needs this survey.

ACTION REFLECTION LEARNING: SOLVING REAL BUSINESS PROBLEMS BY CONNECTING LEARNING WITH EARNING covers the basics of supporting fundamental changes in behaviors to encourage learning. Stories, journal entries, dialogues and other styles of case history examples from real life power a hands-on guide to Action Reflection Learning in practice, surveying its concepts, how they are applied, and how they make a difference within and outside the classroom. It's an exceptional hands-on opportunity to learn from others and a top pick for any business or education college-level library.

Leadership and planning is everything to businesses. Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition, "Managing & Organization: An Introduction to Theory and Practice" is a scholarly, educational text for business leaders looking to gain a comprehensive understanding of this core concept of business. The newly revised second edition carries six additional chapters on ethics, teamwork, and responsibility, as well as additional information in the older chapters. Enhanced with a companion website and teacher's manual, "Managing & Organization: An Introduction to Theory and Practice" is a must for any classroom teaching the subject, and for college library business collections.

Margaret R. Kohut, MSW's COMPLETE GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING, CONTROLLING AND STOPPING BULLIES & BULLYING AT WORK (9781601382368, $21.95) is an important, essential guide for any business library. It discusses workplace violence and victims, showing how to identify workplace bullying, how to stop it, and how to 'bully-proof' employees. The excellent survey includes whistleblowing how-tos and more. M.D. Weems' GETTING CLIENTS AND KEEPING CLIENTS FOR YOUR SERVICE BUSINESS (9781601380449, $24.95) offers a 30-day step-by-step program for building a business, from understanding target markets and niches to attracting new clients while keeping existing customers satisfied. From professional memberships that pay off to traditional and non-traditional marketing approaches, GETTING CLIENTS AND KEEPING CLIENTS FOR YOUR SERVICE BUSINESS is an essential guide.

Integrity is not something that has to be sacrificed for success. "High Performance with High Integrity" is a guide for business owners who want to be successful, but don't want to be a cutthroat at the same time. Advice on structuring a business to meet this level of morality while maintaining success, and how to keep one's employees going with the same beliefs and values, makes "High Performance with High Integrity" a seminal guide to the honest businessman. A must for any community library business collection.

Any project one can undertake is not necessarily going to be like all the others. "The Principles of Project Management: Run Projects on Time and To Budget Using This Simple Step-by-Step Guide" is an informed and informative handbook for managers in charge of making their projects the best they can be with proper planning, strategy, and beginnings. With advice on warning signals to help people stay on the right track, "The Principles of Project Management: Run Projects on Time and To Budget Using This Simple Step-by-Step Guide" is a top pick for community library business collections and any would be project leader.

Every company has those take-them-or-leave-them dead end employees – but then there are those employees who are truly special, and who make the company run as it should. "Love 'Em Or Lose 'Em: Getting Good People to Stay" is a guide for managers to making sure they keep these star employees happy and productive, so one's company can stay happy and productive. With countless tips to keeping the cream of the crop producing for your crop, "Love 'Em Or Lose 'Em: Getting Good People to Stay" is an essential read for any manager and for community library business collections.

The employees are what pushes a company forward; if they aren't motivated, nobody is motivated. "Excellence Every Day: Make the Daily Choice – Inspire Your Employees, And Amaze Your Customers" is a guide for managers seeking to get the most out of their employees in the day to day life in running a business. A seminal guide for managers, "Excellence Every Day: Make the Daily Choice – Inspire Your Employees and Amaze Your Customers" is highly recommended for community library business collections.

Organizing meetings can be a bit of an arduous task when the amount of participants reaches nearly two thousand. "Open Space Technology: A User's Guide" introduces a new concept for businesses to follow known as open space technology, where groups can self-organize in a short amount of time. To implement the technique into one's business, "Open Space Technology" lays out a step by step guide including all the resources one needs to get ideas off the ground. The third edition features a survey of open space technology's current usage around the world and an updated list of resources. A highly recommended book for both personal and community library business collections.

For small businesses, pricing services properly is essential; the value of one's name won't induce people buy one's product regardless of cost. "Pricing Strategies for Small Business" is a guide for small time business proprietors dealing start-up pricing for their goods and services, arguing that effective pricing can be the difference between instant success and miserable failure. There is no easy solution to the dilemma, and "Pricing Strategies for Small Business" is an ideal acquisition for fledgling business owners and for community library business collections.

The next big idea – being the mastermind behind it is the key to success. "Awake at the Wheel: Getting Your Great Ideas Rolling (in an Uphill World)" is an informed and informative business guide for those who are searching for that one big idea that will take them right to the top – or just the idea they need to keep their jobs. Creatively written following the story of a caveman called Og, fictionally credited with inventing the wheel, "Awake at the Wheel" will resonate with modern man's quest to think of something new. As entertaining as it is educational, "Awake at the Wheel: Getting Your Great Ideas Rolling (in an Uphill World)" is a top pick for community library business collections.

The world is always changing – a revolution can occur in a single day. "The Truth About Thriving in Change" is a guide for those in management who want to survive this spastic environment known as the business world. With tips on changing organizations, maintaining morale, facing when one is wrong, and how to plan for the future, "The Truth About Thriving in Change" states a solid forty-nine proven management techniques. Highly recommended for community library business collections.

Buying and selling products is not as simple buy product, sell product. "A Practical Application of Supply Chain Management Principles" is a look at the entire chain that keeps America living the lifestyle that America is known for – graced with such luxuries as supermarkets, department stores, and other commercial shops. Teach readers how to fully understand the supply chain process, as well as how to manage a long supply chain oneself, "A Practical Application of Supply Chain Management Principles" is a scholarly, complete, and comprehensive look at supply as a whole. "A Practical Application of Supply Chain Management Principles" is an excellent addition to college library business collections.

Planning is invaluable; no one has ever maximized their business success by just winging it. "How to Prepare a Business Plan" is a scholarly handbook, taking a look at how to create the best business plan possible for one's company. Focusing on managing income and expenses, expanding, taking out loans, and meticulously watching for early warning signs of failure, "How to Prepare a Business Plan" is an excellent choice for entrepreneurs and a top pick for community library business collections.

Coca Cola, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Fruit of the Loom – all names which provoke images to consumers. "Branding Your Business: Promoting Your Business, Attracting Customers and Standing Out in the Market Place" examines how brands are is essential to the business of anyone who wants to gain a strong market share. Exploring how brands make a grand mark in people's minds and how to use those emotions to sell one's product, "Branding Your Business: Promoting Your Business, Attracting Customers and Standing Out in the Market Place" is highly recommended for any community library business collection and anyone who may have to manage a brand.

Charisma is that intangible quality that just seems to make some people more likable than others. "Make It Glow: How to Build a Company Reputation for Human Goodness, Flawless Execution, and Being Best in Class" argues that charisma is something that businesses can have as well. Positive public image can be invaluable to any business; the public perception that a business is run by good people who care about others rather than just a stereotypical money grubbing evil corporation can make all the difference. "Make It Glow: How to Build a Company Reputation for Human Goodness, Flawless Execution, and Being Best in Class" is highly recommended to anyone in charge of a business and for community library business collections.

The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

A motive can be the hardest thing to figure out when investigating a homicide. "The Oasis Project" follows Shirley Waterbury as she deals with the catastrophe of her family's death. Although the tragedy is ruled an accident, she refuses to believe it and wants to bring those responsible to justice. She finds support in a grizzled old cop who needs answers to why he does what he does anymore, and who thinks there may be something to Shirley's theory. A riveting mystery all the way through, "The Oasis Project" is a grade-A pick for community library mystery collections.

A studious single mother is well on the way to setting her life straight when the unspeakable occurs. "Vita Nuova: A Marshal Guarnaccia" follows the Marshal as she tries to solve a baffling crime where no one has a clear motive, though there has been plenty of opportunity; the only thing that sticks out is the strange behavior of prosecutor. An exciting story for mystery readers to sink their teeth into, "Vita Nuova: A Marshal Guarnaccia Investigation" is a top pick for community library collections.

Two dead, and one attempted murder. What exactly is going on? "Shadows on the Wall" follows Reginald Fortune, a country doctor, as he tries to answer these befuddling questions. First, Lady Rosnay falls down a set of stairs; Reginald suspects foul play, but the Lady will hear none of it, and seems too calm about what has happened. Two murders follow, and Reginald, advisor to Scotland Yard, must solve the problem. A treat for old fashioned mystery fans, "Shadow on the Wall" is highly recommended for community library collections.

The appeal of the mystery novel has always been their built-in game – figuring out who the culprit is before the protagonist does. "From Crime to Crime: Mind-Boggling Tales of Mystery and Murder" invites readers to play that game once more with an anthology of short mystery stories following love-starved husbands, deadly psychotherapy sessions, and the gritty world at the turn of the century. All of the tales are as intriguing as they are entertaining, making "From Crime to Crime: Mind-Boggling Tales of Mystery and Murder" highly recommended for community library mystery collections.

While skill at music is truly a magnificent thing, there are downsides to everything. "Murder in A-Major" is a story about a musical genius, blessed with great talent and cursed with jealous rivals who lust after his wife. When the musician is murdered well before his time, Inspector Hermann Priess is charged with finding out exactly who is responsible for this heinous crime, in this riveting mystery set in 1800's Germany. A top pick for mystery collections.

Not all tree huggers fit into the stereotype of the peaceful environmentalist. "Tree Huggers" follows Kate, a fresh reporter who follows the story of an environmental terrorist group and their alleged arson. She covers the trial of the man who is directly charged, but soon finds that what the public believes may not be the truth, and that the truth is far more deadly than the accepted fiction. A gripping mystery and thriller, "Tree Huggers" is a must for mystery fans everywhere and libraries catering to them.

To state that one is being stalked by someone one was accused of killing two decades ago is odd. To turn up dead anyway is flat out bizarre. "Pariah" is the story of Sheriff Kurt Muller as he investigates the conundrum of Nicole Bauer and her relationship with Rocky Rhodes – a man who died twenty years earlier. Nicole claims Rocky is after her despite this impossibility and soon turns up dead; the rap is placed on Kurt. To clear his own name, he has to dig to the bottom of this enigma. "Pariah" is an intriguing mystery-thriller all the way through, and a top pick for community library collections.

1851, London, England - a land of pimps, mollies, and waifs. "The Streets of Babylon: A London Mystery" is the story of a few people's attempts to dig their way through the hordes of ne'er-do-wells that infest the London underworld as they search for Agnes, someone they fear may already be dead. A deftly composed crime drama set in a grimy yet intriguing setting, "The Streets of Babylon" is a top pick for any looking for a good mystery.

There are things that one never wants one's maid to do – such as being dead in one's bed. "Dot.Dead: A Silicon Valley Mystery" follows Ian Michaels as he happens upon this situation and immediately finds himself the top suspect in the investigation. With the help of his maid's sister, he tries to clear his name, find out who framed him for it all, and glean the answer to the most important question of all – why? "Dot.Dead: A Silicon Valley Mystery" is a top pick for mystery fans and community library collections catering to them.

The Women's Studies Shelf

For the Record
Joan Grierson
Dundurn Group
2250 Military Road, Tonawanda, NY 14150
9781550028201, $28.99, www.dundurn.com

Women through history have had to break various gender barriers, and the world of architecture is no different. "For the Record: The First Women in Canadian Architecture" is a look at the early days of the first female architects in Canada, who started to slowly break through and established themselves around the year 1920. Following the line until women in Canadian architecture started to become the norm around the 1970s, "For the Record" is a complete history, sure to inspire girls everywhere. Highly recommended for community library women's studies collections.

Marriage and having lots of children is the American Dream, right? "Why Women Shouldn't Marry: Being Single by Choice" is a look at today's modern woman – and how the standard of marriage is no longer a requirement for happiness and at times should be avoided. Marriage occasionally is an act of desperation and fear undertaken by women who, lacking self-confidence in themselves, want the supposed security that a man seemingly provides. A deftly written examination of the institution of marriage, "Why Women Shouldn't Marry: Being Single by Choice" is a top pick for community library women's studies collections and for any woman having self-doubt about her future.

"No rest for the weary" is the proverb that describes the lives of Jonathan Steel and Josh Knight. "The 12th Demon: Vampyre Majick" is the second book in the series following Jonathan Steel as he deals with an insurgence of the supernatural in the natural world. Assassins are after Steel, Knight, and their families; a demon is setting out to brining a vampyre Apocalypse upon the earth. Jonathan has to foil the evil plot or be consumed himself! "The 12th Demon: Vampyre Majick" is an original and intriguing fantasy, highly recommended for community library fantasy collections.

When you're the only publicly practicing wizard in Chicago and no one believes in magic, business is never good. "Storm Front", the first novel of the Dresden Files (now reissued in paperback to celebrate the television series on Sci-Fi Channel), follows wizard Harry Dresden and his quest to pay the rent. One of Harry's only regular clients, a police detective named Murphy, calls him in to consult on a set of grisly murders. Harry also gets a cautious client who's willing to pay well to find her husband; while business certainly is beginning to pick up, Harry may not survive to enjoy it. Drawing heavily upon elements from classic detective noir, "Storm Front" is witty, intriguing, and will hook readers on the entire series. Highly recommended for community library fantasy collections seeking something outside the sword and sorcery field.

Baen Books
Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
www.baen.com

Eric Flint and Mike Resnick edit THE DRAGON DONE IT (1416555285, $24.00), a survey mixing sleuthing with magic in a collection of stories specializing in a satisfying blend of both. Mystery and magic blend in stories ranging from an occult detective's hobby gone serious to an issue of gingerbread and a Hansel and Gretel recreation. Edric Flint provides a fine sequel set to 1632 in RING OF FIRE II (1416573879, $25.00), a set of new stories surrounding the time-swept town introduced in 1632. From a new story by Flint of a Hungarian officer's theft of new technology and an American agent's search for the missing papers to a cardinal's plot even as civil war threatens France, new scenarios and political encounters fill out the 1632 scenario and create gripping new action plots. Catherine Asaro's THE RUBY DICE (1416555145, $23.00) tells of Jaibriol and Kelric, two rulers who don't wish war but find their hands inevitably turn to war as a choice – each trying to hide a secret which might lead to downfall. Can two men with shared secrets and common perspectives avoid war yet hold on to their kingdoms? Passionate encounters make for a fast-paced story. Tom Kratman's CALIPHATE (1416555455, $24.00) is set in the 22nd century where Europe is under control of Muslims, atheism has been exterminated, gay people hanged or crucified, and general brutality rules. A German girl sold as a slave to pay for her family's escape discovers a magic place in America and determines to achieve something her country can't: a different kind of freedom.

Three very different Brazils are presented in Brasyl, a book that blends science fiction, history, mystery and more in three separate stories. In one, a self-made man in a near future Sao Paulo of riches and poverty finds himself immersed in a dangerous underworld; in the second, an ambitious Rio TV producer seeks a different kind of reality show and finds herself involved in a dangerous conspiracy; and in the third, a Jesuit missionary sent into 18th century Brazil to locate and punish a rogue priest finds himself in a dangerous Amazon world. All are involving, riveting stories perfect for science fiction collections.

Trekkers and even casual fans of the first Star Trek series will relish the tongue-in-cheek observations of CAPTAIN KIRK'S GUIDE TO WOMEN, a set of funny observations of the main women in the show – basically the captain's love interests. There are color photos of many of them – but disappointingly, not all. That caveat aside, the comments and history make for a fun guide for any interested in Captain Kirk and his erstwhile love life.

An exceptional set of short stories makes The Girl Who Loved Animals and Other Stories a top pick for any science fiction collection, deserving of ongoing recommendation and acclaim. From a young woman dedicated to preserving animals, to a little girl's life psychically linked to two pandas, the stories of The Girl Who Loved Animals speak to the human condition, offering an outstanding menu of fine characters and poignant situations.

Set over two hundred years into the future, in a world like Imperial Rome, The Martian General's Daughter tells of one General Peter Black through the eyes of his devoted daughter, raised on battlefields. When a plague threatens their kingdom, the general must choose between tradition, war, and the daughter he loves in this fast-paced military science fiction fable.

The fourth and final installment of the "Ancient Mirrors" fantasy series has arrived with "Quondam". The "Ancient Mirrors" series is a line of stories where women do not submit helplessly before men; "Quondam" is no different, following Cwen as she finds herself in another world whose problems will engulf her own world unless she does something to stop it. She must overthrow a Queen to save both worlds in this riveting fantasy. A must for community library collections dedicated to the genre.

Rebellion is the last option of the desperate and oppressed. "Clan of the Dung-Sniffers" follows the titular group as they are driven to restore the treasured object of their people, an icon known only as the radiance. They must overcome countless physical challenges alongside their self-doubt. A fantasy adventure about facing one's weaknesses head on, "Clan of the Dung Sniffers" is a top pick for anyone seeking something a bit different in their fantasy, and will likely be a popular lend in community library fantasy collections.

The Money/Finance Shelf

On the Money Journal collects the newspaper column "On the Money" (which is now in its fifth year of syndication), a financial writing intended especially for C-level executives and published monthly by American Cities Business Journals. Written by veteran entrepreneurial executive Stephen Guyer, the "On the Money" column addresses surprisingly in-depth money matters in plain talk with a dash of humor. Readers will learn about the ins and outs of investing whether on a small or large scale, and how to balance business or corporate needs, risks, and rewards in fluctuating economic times. Recommended for those responsible for running all manners and sizes of businesses, and an absolute "must-have" for corporate executives responsible for big financial decisions.

Everyone will some day die, and almost everyone will leave something behind. "The Estate Planning Toolkit" is a guide for those who want to establish their last will and testament, with or without the help of attorneys. Covering all types of wills, from standard wills to living wills to power of attorney and exclusionaries, "The Estate Planning Toolkit" is complete and comprehensive in its focus. Enhanced with a CD ROM containing all the forms needed in both text and Adobe Acrobat form, "The Estate Planning Toolkit" is a must for anyone worrying about their family and for personal and community library financial shelves, as well as real estate management reference collections.

The Science Shelf

From the basics of how physicists view the universe and its creation to the latest scientific theories and explanations and some of the major puzzles physics is trying to handle today, THE UNKNOWN UNIVERSE is a fine survey of the latest puzzles and science, and come from personal insights from the author's own research. From cosmic rays to hydrogen collapses, THE UNKNOWN UNIVERSE is packed with exciting science possibilities and perfect for both science and general-interest collections.

How do modern scientists form a basis for their research? "Cosmology" is a complete and comprehensive manual to anyone who is curious about he functions of this science and wants to learn more. Covering countless topics in nearly six hundred pages, such as microwave background polarization, leptogenesis, multifield inflation, and others, "Cosmology" is an ideal text for students. Enhanced with appendices containing formulas, glossaries, and more, "Cosmology" is almost a science college course on its own. A top pick for college library science collections.

All living things decompose – and the mastery of food science is measuring and using this effectively. "Food Biodeterioration and Preservation" is a scholarly look at this science down to an almost molecular level, and how these microbiological agents affect food and food's shelf life. In depth looks at many a food's staying life, and how various preservatives affect and change them, "Food Biodeterioration and Preservation" is a far reaching survey that should be read by every step of the food manufacturing industry, from agriculture to factories. A top pick for community library science collections.

The Universe is infinite and always expanding, as is mankind's understanding of it. "Astronomy and Astrophysics" is a scholarly, informed and informative look at humanity's current understanding of the Universe. Chapters focus on radio astronomy, optical astronomy, minor planets, the Big Bang theory, Einstein's theories, and many other topics that those in the field will find fascinating. Accompanied by a bonus CD ROM featuring NASA simulations, figures, and much more, "Astronomy and Astrophysics" is a complete a text on the subject as one can find in today's world, and highly recommended for college library physics collections.

Secrets of the Hoary Deep: A Personal History of Modern Astronomy recounts the amazing history of the science of x-ray astronomy from its inception to the modern day. Told by 2002 Nobel Prize in Physics winner and founding father of x-ray astronomy Riccardo Giacconi, Secrets of the Hoary Deep blends elements of memoir into the accounting, offering a personal touch into the story x-ray astronomy. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this in-depth, engrossing account sure to fascinate lay readers and experts alike.

Geology, Meteorology, and Hydrology – few people would call them their favorite subjects to talk about. Dr. Michael S. Hamilton seeks to change that with "Of the Earth, Spheres, and Consequences", a guide for non-specialist lay readers to the these fields of science, and successfully makes these subjects intriguing, interesting, and fascinating. An essential read addition to community library science collections.

A welcome addition to the practical Falcon Guides series, Medicinal Plants of North America is a full-color field guide to North American plants used in medicine from traditional times to the modern day. Each entry describes the plant's traditional and modern uses, as well as veterinary/wildlife uses, and is careful to note any precautions that should be taken while dealing with the plant (warnings of toxicity, or against consuming specific plants while pregnant or lactating, are especially common). An excellent, easy-to-use field guide.

Geology Underfoot in Illinois is an amazing tour of the geological diversity and wonders to be found in the great state of Illinois. Readers of all backgrounds are sure to enjoy the geologic walking or driving tours of thirty-seven Illinois sites. Maps and black-and-white photographs enhance this wonderfully enriching complement to solo or family vacations. "The most accessible [canyon] from the Starved Rock footpath is French Canyon. One of the loveliest times to see it is in winter, when the falling streams have frozen into sparkling columns of ice. To me, these narrow rockbound defiles, with their horizontal ribbing of Paleozoic strata, define the Illinois landscape every bit as much as the prairies." Enthusiastically recommended for anyone who is eager to see all the natural wonders Illinois has to offer, not just its flora and fauna.

The Education Shelf

Educators interested in web literacy for students as well as their own advancement will find educational technology expert Alan November provides keys to conducting safer, faster and more accurate student research on the web, blending tips on unfiltered research and outside school internet research with ideas for understanding ethical issues and terminology alike. An outstanding guide for any education library.

A GUIDE TO LITERACY COACHING: HELPING TEACHERS INCREASE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT covers skills for coaching and describes the roles of effective coaches as facilitators, observers, colleagues and learners. From sample scenarios and coaching challenges to details on developing coaching relationships with school administrators, A GUIDE TO LITERACY COACHING is packed with important coaching keys to success.

Graduation rates in America are plummeting – is there any hope for secondary education? "Raising the Grade: How High School Reform Can Save Our Youth and Our Nation" written by the president of the Alliance for Excellent Education and former West Virginian Governor Bob Wise. Outlining a plan for reforming secondary education in a time where it's more vital than ever thanks to rising career demands asking for high education and skill with technology, it's an invaluable read for any educational administrator. "Raising the Grade: How High School Reform Can Save Our Youth and Our Nation" is highly recommended for community library education collections.

Kathleen Feeney Jonson's second edition of BEING AN EFFECTIVE MENTOR: HOW TO HELP BEGINNING TEACHERS SUCCEED (9781412940627, $33.95) comes from an educator and mentoring expert who identifies the skills that nurture beginning teachers, providing techniques for mentors which use feedback, role modeling, and a combination of teacher methods and assessment options. From establishing a new career path as a mentor to revitalizing an existing one, this covers many basics and is a fine survey for any college-level education collection. Virginia Smith Harvey and Joan A. Struzziero's PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND SUPERVISION OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS FROM INTERN TO EXPERT (9781412953276, $40.95) appears in its second updated edition to substantially revise a classic, addressing administrative and clinical supervision skills needed for school psychologists to thrive. From expanding professional roles in offering prevention services to tools for assessing supervisor effectiveness and sample dilemmas to study, this extensive survey is based on the latest research and is a 'must' for any college-level educator's collection. Olaf Jorgenson's A REFLECTIVE PLANNING JOURNAL FOR SCHOOL LEADERS (9781412958097, $22.95) offers ideas and tips from winning principals and blends a journal with a planning calendar and 'how to' guide for any who would foster professional development. This step-by-step resource is arranged by the school year and offers tips, exercises and guidelines for prioritizing and planning. James H. McMillan's ASSESSMENT ESSENTIALS FOR STANDARDS-BASED EDUCATION (9781412955515, $27.95) appears in its second updated edition to help teachers blend assessment processes with teaching and learning. From basic principals of reliability and testing to using data to make improvements, ASSESSMENT ESSENTIALS is an important key to blending data with change. Karl J. Klimek, Elsie Ritzenhein and Kathryn Sullivan's GENERATIVE LEADERSHIP: SHAPING NEW FUTURES FOR TODAY'S SCHOOLS (9781412953023, $27.95) considers basic elements of generative leadership and outlines six hallmarks for developing an individual's 'generative' potentials. From personal reflection and harnessing creativity to leading organizations from data, GENERATIVE LEADERSHIP is a winning guide educators need. Hal Portner's MENTORING NEW TEACHERS, 3RD EDITION (9781412960090, $25.95) uses a blend of research and experience to review mentoring behaviors and teacher standards. From classroom observation methods and tools which assess and contrast learning styles to important mentoring functions, Portner's MENTORING NEW TEACHERS is an essential key to passing wisdom and an important pick for any education collection. Also key is the second updated edition of Marilee Sprenger's DIFFERENTIATION THROUGH LEARNING STYLES AND MEMORY (9781412955454, $30.95), an updated review of student learning styles and brain-based strategies based on the latest research into learning methods. From how the brain processes and stores information to how teachers can evaluate their own classroom effectiveness, DIFFERENTIATION THROUGH LEARNING STYLES is an excellent educator's pick. Kathy Perez's MORE THAN 100 BRAIN-FRIENDLY TOOLS AND STRATEGIES FOR LITERACY INSTRUCTION (9781412926935, $28.95) offers more than 100 field-tested strategies for results at any grade level, blending hands-on activities with techniques for different intelligence levels. These strategies will provide teachers, literacy coaches and reading specialists not with theory but with proven tools that work, making for an important classroom pick. Denise D. Nessel and Carol N. Dixon's USING THE LANGUAGE APPROACH WITH ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS: STRATEGIES FOR ENGAGING STUDENTS AND DEVELOPING LITERACY (9781412955058, $31.95) offers K-12 teachers in ESL a basic instructional method for meeting students at their different levels and helping them use listening skills to build reading skills. This method allows students to build upon their own experiences, accenting the learning process with familiar choices. An outstanding approach ESL teachers will relish.

Computer libraries strong in Zend Studio for Eclipse for PHP/LAMP developers will find Zend Studio for Eclipse Developer's Guide an excellent survey of the core techniques and terminology that make up Eclipse applications. From code editing and galleries to unit testing, debugging and more, Zend Studio for Eclipse Developer's Guide is an outstanding addition to any Eclipse developer's library.

Shaping the Reading Field is a thoughtful collection of scholarly essays by various learned authors, documenting the lives of sixteen different reading researchers, reading practitioners, and specialists in both children's literature and adult reading. Biographical sketches cover the lives of noteworthy professionals such as James McKeen Cattell, Charles Hubbard Judd, Elizabeth Leary, and more. Relying on historical research, Shaping the Reading Field scrutinizes how the work of each pioneer has impacted the educational field for successive generations. A "Lessons for the Future" section speculated on possible future implications for reading instruction based on the pioneers' work and theories. An excellent resource especially recommended for reading instructors and educational professionals.

In order to maximize the educational experience, a student must feel safe and worthwhile. "Safe and Caring Schools" is a complete and comprehensive guide for educators on creating an ideal environment for children to learn. With advice on mixing in social and emotional education alongside academic curriculum, "Safe and Caring Schools" is an ideal guide to helping students make the most of themselves, both now and later in life. A top pick for any educator and for community library education collections.

School is for more than English, Math, and Science – it's for the intangibles too. "Spectacular Things Happen Along the Way: Lessons From an Urban Classroom" follows Brian Schultz as he teaches an inner city class something far more valuable than academics – determination and a feeling of self worth. An inspired and inspiring tale sure to give hope in the next generation ensues. "Spectacular Things Happen Along the Way: Lessons From an Urban Classroom" is highly recommended for community library education collections.

Literacy is one of the most essential skills in the modern era. "Becoming a Professional Reading Teacher: What to Teach, How to Teach, Why it Matters" is a handbook for educators, giving tips and advice on how to improve their skill in teaching literacy. The techniques are backed by scientific research, and cover how to deal with extraordinary cases when a student doesn't seem to be grasping the concepts taught, and how to assess a student's skills in the best way possible. "Becoming a Professional Reading Teacher: What to Teach, How to Teach, Why it Matters" is highly recommended for community library education collections and to any educator faced with the task of teaching literacy.

Math skills are invaluable for young children, and even complex concepts can be taught to children if done in the right way. "Spatial Reasoning: A Mathematics Unit for High Ability Learners in Grades 2-4" is a guide for educators to help their students understand the concepts of spatial reasoning in the fields of one, two, and three dimensional tasks. With advice on teaching gifted learners, "Spatial Reasoning: A Mathematics Unit for High Ability Learners in Grades 2-4" is highly recommended for community library mathematics collections. Also from Prufrock and Dana T. Johnson of mathematical and educational interest is "Beyond Base Ten: A Mathematics Unit for High Ability Learners in Grades 3-6" (9781593633295, $39.95), a guide to teaching different bases of numerics to children.

Every student is different; that's why some people think of high school as the best time of their lives while others would rather erase those four years from their existence. "Personalizing the High School Experience" is an educator's guide that realizes this. Promoting that each teenager's learning should be customized to fit their needs and personalities, "Personalizing the High School Experience" is a deftly written handbook for educators, and a must for community library education collections.

The Military Shelf

The attacks of 9/11 have put America into the awareness of terrorists within its borders more than ever. "Terrorist Recognition Handbook: A Practitioner's Manual for Predicting and Identifying Terrorist Activities" is a manual for those in charge of tracking down these criminals. Covering the origins of terrorists and what makes them do what they do, "Terrorist Recognition Handbook" offers an examination of common and uncommon terrorist tactics – and how to identify an attack before it happens. Presented in an easy to use handbook format, "Terrorist Recognition Handbook: A Practitioner's Manual for Predicting and Identifying Terrorist Activities" is highly recommended for those in charge of security and community library military collections.

The start of the 1950s began with one of the deadliest things ever created by humanity just up and disappearing. "Broken Arrow: America's First Lost Nuclear Weapon" is the story of America's near-fatal mistake that could have cost the world millions of lives. When a simulated bombing run went wrong, the world lucked out; the bomb washed up in British Columbia, Canada – a nation with sense enough not to do the world wrong with it. Many questions arise however, and "Broken Arrow: America's First Lost Nuclear Weapon" is a deft examination of them all, highly recommended for community library military history shelves.

Written by national security consultant Thomas K. Adams, a veteran of thirty-four years of military service primarily in intelligence and special operations, The Army After Next: The First Postindustrial Army is an in-depth examination of how the U.S. Army and the Department of Defense have tried to hone the capabilities promised by the ongoing high-tech "revolution in military affairs", or RMA. Specifically, the RMA is characterized by technological innovation, operational concepts or doctrines, and organizational adaptation. Special attention is paid to the effect that the RMA has had on the American operations in Afghanistan and Iraq; Adams warns that some of the problems in both nations originate in the Department of Defense's inflexible demand to utilize RMA-driven concepts and transformational operations, whether they were appropriate for the given venue or not. Though the RMA has altered the structure of the armed forces, its vision is all too often dependent on unproven or even uncontrollable assumptions or capabilities beyond what is immediately available (such as the lack of a suitable information technology network). Above all, Adams warns that America must be willing to fight the war it has, not the war it wants to have. A sobering, critical wake-up call, accessible to readers of all backgrounds but especially recommended reading for career military officers and strategists.

Anatomy of Perjury: Field Marshal Albert Kesselring, Via Rasella, and the GINNY Mission is a scholarly treatise piecing together the answer to a World War II mystery - and the lies that enabled German Field Marshal Albert Kesselring to escape execution for his war crime. In the failed GINNY II mission, an Office of Strategic Services operational group landed on the Ligurian coast north of La Spezia with orders to destroy party of the coastal railroad; when the mission failed, the Allied soldiers surrendered to enemy forces. Two days later, they were executed. Author Richard Raiber engaged in meticulous research of microfilmed German operational records to reveal that Albert Kesselring was present at La Spezia, and undoubtedly confirmed the order to execute captured American soldiers in regulation uniforms. His efforts to cover his tracks, including the perjury of his subordinates, saved him from the death sentence swiftly meted out to General Anton Dostler, who was also complicit in the war crime. A detailed, in-depth study, especially recommended for college library and World War II military history shelves.

The International Studies Shelf

RIVALS: HOW THE POWER STRUGGLE BETWEEN CHINA, INDIA AND JAPAN WILL SHAPE OUR NEXT DECADE is the first book to predict the economic trends of all three nations, exploring how these trends will affect the world and the environment, and pose risks to global peace. But it doesn't stop at an assessment of possible dangers: the meat of RIVALS lies in its blend of analysis and nine specific recommendations on how their rivalry can be managed for optimum benefit to the world. College-level collections strong in Asian social issues in particular will find it important.

Advanced high school to college-level collections strong in African studies will welcome the specific volumes in 'Culture and Customs of Africa', of which CULTURE AND CUSTOMS OF SENEGAL is one. From literature and academics to family and gender, music and sports, this survey of uniquely Senegalese culture is involving and exciting – and perfect for reports.

A four-volume set, The Encyclopedia of the Arab-Israeli Conflict: A Political, Social, and Military History is an in-depth scrutiny of one of the most vicious, implacable, and long-running territorial disputes in the history of the world. In the past sixty years, the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the increased scarcity of oil have dramatically amplified the global consequences of this conflict. The Encyclopedia of the Arab-Israeli Conflict provides an impartial wealth of information on this hot topic in over 750 alphabetically organized entries covering key people, places, events, and social topics. Each entry is enhanced with cross references and recommendations for further reading. Maps and photographs add a visual aid to comprehending this complicated issue. The final "documents" volume of The Encyclopedia of the Arab-Israeli Conflict is a collection of more than 150 primary sources. The result is an accessible, exhaustive and invaluable reference to a potentially critical modern issue, and carries the absolute highest recommendation for public and college libraries as well as international reference collections.

Vietnam: The (Last) War the U.S. Lost is an unflinching history of the United States involvement in the Vietnam war - America's motives, its cruelties, and why America ultimately failed to win the war, along with comparisons to the modern-day situation in Iraq. Vietnam: The (Last) War the U.S. Lost takes especial pains to attack common American myths about the Vietnam War, particularly the idea that Americans were caught in the middle of a conflict between stable Vietnamese governments. In fact, America was propping up a horrendously incompetent, inefficient, and repressive puppet government that represented only a tiny part of the Vietnamese population - mostly its landholding elite. The South Vietnamese government further stirred up resentment among the majority of the population by overturning land reform, in effect demanding that peasants give up land and pay heavy back taxes to their former landlords. As a result, Ho Chi Minh and his North Vietnamese government had overwhelming popular support, which was only further intensified by American brutalities against Vietnamese civilians. A section of the American population recognized the injustices being perpetrated in the Vietnamese war, and actively worked to oppose it; and among the armed forces, resentment against the war expressed itself in ways ranging from absences without leave to incidents of "fragging" (maiming or murdering, often by means of a fragmentation grenade) unpopular officers. This trifecta is what ultimately brought victory to one of the world's poorest nations over one of the world's richest - but it was a victory with a high cost, as the effects of American poisons, defoliants, and the memory of American massacres linger to this day. "Now the big question: 'Is Iraq the next Vietnam?' The answer is that it could be. That will be determined by two forces: the Iraqi people and the American working class." Though not a politically neutral account, Vietnam: The (Last) War the U.S. Lost is carefully researched and deserves a thorough examination especially in today's era when the lasting harm America did in Vietnam is all too easily forgotten... at least stateside.

A History of Egypt: From Earliest Times to the Present is a one-volume survey of Egyptian history from its earliest known human civilization to the present day. Though penned with scholarly rigor, A History of Egypt is accessible to readers of all backgrounds, and features a brief inset section of black-and-white photographic plates. "The most astonishing reversal of Egypt's relationship with the rest of the world has aroused little comment. During the Nasser years Egypt ceased being a net food producer and became a net food importer. The country that once provided food not only for itself but also for many others can no longer feed itself... The amount of arable land added by the construction of the High Dam has been more than wiped out by urbanization... Such development would be better located in the desert." An index rounds out this thoughtful and thorough history. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library shelves.

Patrons, Partisans, and Palace Intrigues: The Court Society of Colonial Mexico, 1702-1710 is a scholarly reconstruction of the social networks and intrigues in the court of Viceroy Duke of Alburquerque (1702-1710). Author Christoph Rosenmuller (assistant professor in the Department of History, Middle Tennessee State University) reveals the devastating depth of corruption in the Duke's court, including the alliances he built with the local population to deny reform efforts originating from Spain. The Duke collaborated with contraband traders, acted against the secularization of Indian parishes, and accused local craftsmen and merchants of treason (imprisoning some and allowing them to die in jail) to uplift his own credentials as a "loyal" official. Ultimately, the royal court of Madrid demanded revenge, and Albuquerque had to pay an astronomical (by the terms of the day) 700,000 silver pesos to return to the king's good graces. A fascinating, minutely detailed reconstruction of historical human treachery.

The Martial Arts Shelf

Silent Killing: Nazi Counters to Fairbairn-Sykes Techniques is the annotated English translation of a German World War II combat manual devised specifically to help German sentries defend themselves against the lethal "Silent Killing" techniques that close-combat expert W.E. Fairbiarn and E.A. Sykes taught to Allied soldiers, paratroopers, and commandos during World War II. Originally printed in 1942 for German troops in occupied Norway (and presumably not distributed outside that country), the manual is now available in its first ever English translation. The original German text and black-and-white photographs are also included, in this historical and practical martial arts relic. Especially recommended for any students, researchers or practitioners of Fairbairn-Sykes Techniques and defenses against them.

Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family collects three journals written by Cornelia Henry between 1861 and 1868, which reveal a personal portrayal of one western North Carolina family's experiences before, during, and after the American Civil War. Cornelia tells of her daily life, rumors and news of the war, raids by Union soldiers, occupation of Asheville by Union troops, the actions of newly freed slaves, and the difficulties following the war. An honest and empathetic primary source, highly recommended.

The Gaming Shelf

There is money to be made in low level poker tournaments. "How to Beat Sit & Go Poker Tournaments: A No-Limit Hold'Em Guide to Beating Sit & Gos" is a guide to winning these sit & go tournaments. The most common form of these tournaments exist online and take only one or two hours, yet can be very lucrative if one takes into account the strategies found in this guide. Examining the flaws in failed strategies while providing alternatives and more successful tactics, "How to Beat Sit & Go Poker Tournaments: A No Limit Hold'Em Guide to Beating Sit & Gos" is highly recommended for anyone looking to improve their game.

Now in an expanded second edition packed with new examples, studies, problems, and ideas, Secrets of Spectacular Chess is a guide for practical chess players of intermediate to advanced skill. Yet Secrets of Spectacular Chess is more than a logical gameplay guide; the aesthetics of chess are delved into at length (the elements of chess beauty are defined by the aspects of paradox, depth, geometry, and flow). Further chapters address "Tactical Fantasies: The Charm of Studies", "Art for Art's Sake: The Delight of Chess Problems", and much more. A "must-have" for chess enthusiasts, Secrets of Spectacular Chess is highly recommended for its thoughtful look at not only the complex logical heart of the game, but also its soul.

The Archaeology Shelf

Written by P. Allsworth-Jones, a research fellow in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Sheffield England, Pre-Columbian Jamaica is extensive attempt to collect aggregate evidence and research about prehistoric Jamaica into a single volume. Though Pre-Columbian Jamaica offers ample commentary on this evidence and can be read as a narrative, its true value lies in its accompanying CD-ROM brimming with illustrations, data, calculations, measurements, and comparisons - more information than can be published in printed form at a reasonable price. (The CD-ROM requires Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Access 2002 or higher, and 100 MB free space to use). In-depth information on the CD-ROM concerning two hundred and seventy-one prehistoric sites in Jamaica makes Pre-Columbian Jamaica an absolute "must-have" for serious students and scholars of early Jamaican archaeology, and highly recommended for college and graduate school libraries as well.

The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

From tumblers and bowls to advertising pieces, specialty items from glass workers, and notes on manufacturing credits and oddities, Standard Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass, eleventh edition is an outstanding survey of carnival glass makers and their products. Identification of pieces is the focus here; each piece accompanied by a small yet clear color photograph, and a separate price guide offers no photos but plenty of pricing details. A superb choice for collectors of carnival glass.

Glasses can be both functional and decorative, so it should be no surprise that people have taken to collecting them. "Fostoria Stemware: The Crystal for America" is a complete and comprehensive value guide, masterfully compiled and in a new and revised second edition. Covering glass making and collection across over four hundred years of American history, "Fostoria Stemware" is a must for any collector of crystal glasses.

The Needlecraft Shelf

A full-size, 12-block quilt, five wallhangings, and a table runner are among the features in this selection of quilting projects that use applique and color patterns to incorporate flowers into quilting. From finishing touches to discussions of quilting tips and techniques for blending styles and flowers, DELIGHTFUL QUILTS IN BLOOM is a special pick for quilters and gardeners alike.

The natural world has always been one of humanity's greatest inspirations. "Table Toppers: Celebrating the Great Outdoors" is a guide packed with great quilting ideas, inspired by the outdoor world. Taking patterns from plant life such as flowers and trees, and even drawing inspiration from outdoor activities such as ice skating, "Table Toppers" features almost twenty easily executed projects, one hundred and fifty patterns, and over a hundred full color photographs. A must for any quilter who loves the outside world, and recommended for community library needlecraft shelves.

The Woodworking Shelf

Originally published in 1928 (an era when pushmobile contests were popular among kids), Speed Toys for Boys is a classic woodworking guide to crafting wheeled devices, including carts, scooters, pushmobiles and more. Straightforward instructions, specific material requirement lists, and black-and-white diagrams make the projects as accessible and easy-to-follow today as they were eighty years ago. An ideal resource for woodworking hobbyists and parents looking to share involved, hands-on crafting (and racing!) projects with their children.

The Library CD Music Shelf

Famoro Dioubate is a balafon (African xylophone) master from one of the most prestigious griot (musician/storyteller) families in Guinea. With his ensemble Kakande, named for his ancestral village, Dioubate presents a new music CD album Dununya, which brings the wonders of African musical tradition to a worldwide audience. Vocals, flutes, guitars, and cellos complemented by Dioubate's heavenly touch upon the balafon coalesce into a cross-cultural masterpiece of rhythm, allegorical wisdom, and African dialogue. Highly recommended as a welcome addition to international and public library music CD collections. The tracks are Kakande, Bani, Mariama Traore, Nina Kaba, Souaresi, Paya Paya, Bouba Sylla, Dununya, Mali Sadjo, So Si Sa, and Temedi Kota.

Africa to Appalachia is a music CD collaboration between recording artist and banjo expert Jayme Stone, who traveled to the African nation of Mali in search of the aspects of African music not readily available in modern America, and Mansa Sissoko, a griot singer and kora (a 21-string African harp) player. Stone's quest resulted in a bounty of rediscovery: perpetual polyrhythms, supersonic melodies, and traditional story-songs of timeless legends. Africa to Appalachia is a wondrous rebirth of native musical traditions, flowing out of a questing artist's search for the culture, tradition, expressions, and connections that can't be found through a high-tech internet search engine. Highly recommended especially for public library music CD collections and international music shelves.

Light on the Water is a CD of new age piano music written and performed by artist and human rights advocate Timothy Cooper. Though strongly influenced by and created in response to the September 11th attacks, Light on the Water is musical collection promoting peace, healing, and humanity above all. The flowing melodies and quiet beauty of the music respects the suffering of the dead and the survivors, even as it kindles hope for the future and shaping a better world. A heart-touching album, highly recommended. The tracks are "Worldscapes", "Why", "Rising", Solar Nights", "Soundings", "Curve of Madness", "One Smile", "Open Soul", "A Quiet Urgency", "Autumn Tears", "Advancing Moors", "Light on the Water", "The Struggles", "Glad Sorrows", "Ribbons of Starlight", "Solstice", "Worldscapes (Reprise)", "Advancing Moors (Reprise)", and "Advent". 57 min 12 seconds.

An audio CD of excerpts from Walt Whitman's poetry collection "Leaves of Grass" performed by Ed Begley, Sr., Essential Walt Whitman introduces listeners to Whitman's classic verses celebrating humanity. Including the popularly beloved poems such as "O Captain! My Captain!" and Whitman's elegy about President Abraham Lincoln, Essential Walt Whitman brings the printed verses to life with Begley's strong, emotional performances. An excellent way to become acquainted with one of America's greatest poets. 1 CD, 1 hour.

Marked with tracks every three minutes for easy bookmarking, Sword Song is an unabridged historical fiction audiobook set in the year 885, when England was divided into the Danish northern kingdom and King Alfred's Saxon southern kingdom of Wessex. When Viking invaders seize control of the decayed Roman city of London and prepare to attack Wessex, the half-Saxon, half-Danish warlord Uhtred, sworn to King Alfred, must protect the Thames border at all costs. But the Vikings want Uhtred to fight for them, which means that Uhtred must choose who is most worthy of his loyalty! Narrated by theatrical and television performer Gerard Doyle, Sword Song is a rousing tale of battle, bloodshed, and what lurks deepest within the hearts of men. 11 CDs, 13 1/2 hours.

Written by veteran actor, director, and producer Joseph H. Boyett, Won't Get Fooled Again is an unabridged audiobook on CD decrying horrendously incompetent leadership in America, as evidenced by debacles in Iraq and the inadequate response to Hurricane Katrina. Examining what causes ordinary people to vote for or follow bad leaders, and what can be done to stop it, Won't Get Fooled Again comes to the resounding conclusion that the American populace desperately needs to become better informed and more demanding of its representatives. Key insights include why effective leaders are necessary, how to tell if a leader is authentic or simply saying whatever the public wants to hear, the top four red flags that a candidate's vision is problematic, and why so-called "wishy-washy" or "flip-flopper" candidates can make the best leaders (for one thing, they're more flexible and more willing to consider alternative options, especially when a given situation changes). An enthusiastically recommended audiobook for all American citizens, carrying a much-needed message about the critical importance of civic responsibility. 7 CDs, 8 hours.

The Glimmer Palace is an unabridged audiobook on CD of Beatrice Colin's dramatic novel. Opening in the cabaret era of the 1920s Berlin with the birth of the illegitimate and soon orphaned Lilly Nelly Aphrodite, The Glimmer Palace follows Lilly as she grows up in a Catholic orphanage, finding friends even amid times of hardship. Her life journey continues from urchin to maid, teenaged war bride, tingle-tangle bar girl, model, script typist, and eventually, a leading film star of Germany. Narrated by classically trained actress Justine Eyre, The Glimmer Palace is a captivating story of a strong, capable heroine surviving and thriving in uncertain times. 12 CDs, 14 1/2 hours.

Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing is an unabridged audiobook rendition of Mignon Fogarty's excellent guide to improving one's grammar. Well-known for her award-winning podcast explaining some of the most common grammatical mistakes people make, Mignon Fogarty delivers the straight scoop on style, business writing examples, advice for crafting smooth prose, and even e-mail tips. Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing is enthusiastically recommended for professional writers of all walks of life, from high school students crafting essays to college students working on Ph.Ds to prospective novel writers, nonfiction writers, journalists, newspaper columnists and much more. 5 CDs, 7 hours.

The Library DVD Shelf

Defending yourself is something all too often left out in ironically named self-defense classes. "Armor Plated: The Encyclopedia of Defensive Skills for NHB and the Street" is a guide to protecting one's body in the event of being overwhelmed by an assault where the proverb 'the best defense is a good offense' is simply not plausible. Teaching how to turn a situation like that into one's favor so one can go on the offensive, "Armor Plated: The Encyclopedia of Defensive Skills for NHB and the Street" is a must for anyone looking to improve their self-defense skills, whether for the ring or just for the worst.

Wide Sargasso Sea is the movie adaptation of a novel written by Jean Rhys, as a deliberate prequel to Charlotte Bronte's classic tale "Jane Eyre". In the story, Rhys imagined how Mr. Rochester from "Jane Eyre" met and married his first wife, and how she became a madwoman in the attic. Set in early 1800s Jamaica, the young Englishman Edward Rochester (Rafe Spall) captivates the beautiful Creole heiress Antoinette Cosway (Rebecca Hall); yet the passionate lust of the newlyweds quickly gives way to suspicion, fear and betrayal. Originally aired in the United Kingdom, Wide Sargasso Sea is now available to American audiences on DVD with special features including a biography of Jean Rhys and cast filmographies. An absolute "must-see" for anyone who has enjoyed Charlotte Bronte's great works of literature. 84 min., color, widescreen, subtitles.

Talk Mogadishu: Media Under Fire is the inspirational true story on DVD of HornAfrik, the first independent TV and radio station in war-torn Mogadishu, established by three courageous Somali-Canadians who sought to bring peace to their suffering nation through promoting freedom of expression, unbiased news, and open debate. The station's talk shows became wildly popular, and allowed Mogadishu's most marginalized residents to speak out (including humanitarian groups and those who advocated women's rights). Indeed, the station became so popular that it fell under attack more than once by warlords who were unhappy with its content. Yet HornAfrik continues, offering a voice of hope in a land that desperately needs it. A welcome addition to public library DVD shelves, ideal for showing in high school and college classrooms, Talk Mogadishu deserves the highest possible recommendation for its spotlight on how media has the potential to bring light to the most troubled of times and places. 50 min., closed captioned, color.

America's Team: Being a U.S. Air Force Thunderbird is an amazing documentary on DVD of what it takes to be part of the Thunderbirds, members of the U.S. Air Force with the masterful skills to pull off expert airshows. Now for the first time ever, a female pilot has joined the Thunderbirds! America's Team follows her and the entire Thunderbird squadron both at home and on the road, offering a glimpse into the rigors and rewards of aerial devotion. Bonus material includes an F-16 cockpit tour, an F-16 walkaround, and much more. Highly recommended for airplane enthusiasts everywhere! 81 min., widescreen, color.

The Four-Winged Dinosaur: Microraptors and the Bird Origin Debate is the DVD rendition of an episode from the public television series NOVA, detailing the discovery of and scientific experiments surrounding fossils of an amazing, recently discovered dinosaur species - microraptor, a small dinosaur with flight feathers on all four of its limbs! Microraptor might be the first known tree dweller, but even with four wings, could it fly? Or did it glide from treetop to treetop? How did it maneuver in the air with four wings? In search of answers, paleontologists conducted a number of wind tunnel experiments and carefully tabulated the data. The results offer insight into one of nature's greatest mysteries: how did winged flight really evolve? Featuring captivating computer imagery of how microraptor might once have looked and behaved in its native habitat, The Four-Winged Dinosaur is enthusiastically recommended not only for dinosaur lovers, but also for bird lovers of all ages and backgrounds. Enhancements include printable materials for educators, closed-captioning, and the option of described video for the visually impaired. 54 minutes, color.

Based on the engaging manga (Japanese comics) by Ai Yazawa, Nana is a dramatic, live-action Japanese movie with English subtitles about the lives of two women, each named Nana. Nana "Hachi" Komatsu has come to Tokyo with her boyfriend in the hopes of starting afresh, while Nana Osaki has arrived in Tokyo chasing her dream to make a name for herself in rock 'n' roll as a pop music idol. Despite the women's radically different backgrounds, motives, and personalities, they become best friends as they adapt to the difficult challenges of life in a bustling, unfamiliar metropolis. An upbeat, engaging story of the supportive bond between female friends during the best of times and the worst of the times. 114 minutes, color.

Liquid Asana: The Fluid Dance of Vinyasa Flow Yoga with Micheline Berry is a yoga instructional DVD in which host Micheline Berry introduces the viewer to her unique blend of the basics of Vinyasa Flow Yoga Alignment with four dance programs. The result is a beautiful, virtually liquid form of exercise promoting flexibility and grace as well as calorie burning. The four fluid dance movements forming the core of Liquid Asana are the circle, the wave, spiral, and undulation. Enhancing the exercise program is a Liquid Asana meditation and relaxation art track. Though Liquid Asana is designed for beginners, yoga practitioners of all skill and experience levels are sure to enjoy the creative and flowing aspects to this one-of-a-kind workout. A welcome addition to yoga DVD libraries. 75 minutes.

Rick Wakeman's Grumpy Old Picture Show is a DVD recording of veteran Rick Wakeman live on tour, as he performs his one-man "Old Picture Show". His performance includes rants about the frustrations and adversarial irritations of modern daily life, and a reprise from the hit BBC television series "Grumpy Old Men". Performance collaborations with Gordon Giltrap, Jemma Wakeman, Chris Blakey, The English Rock Ensemble and The English Chamber Choir further enhance this rousing, timeless capture of Wakeman's dry wit and laugh-out-loud funny moments. 143 minutes.

Yoga instructors Ravi Singh and Ana Brett have a client list including such celebrities as Madonna and the Red Hot Chile Peppers; now they make their expertise available to all in Fat Free Yoga, a DVD workout featuring Kundalini Yoga poses that promote flexibility and relaxation as well as fitness and conditioning. Four nineteen-minute workouts plus two meditations comprise this easy-to-follow DVD, which features a "matrix" menu option ideal for customizing one's workout. An easy-to-use exercise guide tailored to help viewers of all skill and experience levels reap the benefits of yoga in day-to-day life. 90 minutes.

Part of "The New Hooked On Fly Tying Series", All About Hair with Chris Helm is a fly fisherman's guide to creating stunning and effective bass bugs, with particular focus on the proper use of hair. Featuring close-up camera work in high definition, All About Hair covers the right types of thread to use, tools to make tying bugs easy, how to handle hair when crafting a bug, spinning, stacking, installing gills, and much more. Award-winning fly tier Chris Helm hosts this step-by-step, in-depth guide that spares no detail in the art of making the very best fishing lures. A "must-have" DVD collections of dedicated fly fishermen, and a superb gift for anyone taking a serious interest in the sport. 83 minutes.

An award-winning saga inspired by a true story, When I Find the Ocean is a movie about a young girl coming to terms with the loss of her father. The ocean claimed the life of Lily Strickland's father; lacking a way to say goodbye, she leaves her grandparents and mother to confront her own fears amid the challenges of the wilderness. A deeply emotional, family-friendly movie unfolds, shot against breathtaking seacoast, river, and forest natural scenery. Highly recommended. PG, 104 min., closed captioned (but not subtitled).

A new film by Michael Kloft, writer of "The Goebbels Experiment", Firestorm is a documentary about the lethal bombing campaigns that the Allies carried out against Nazi Germany. Winston Churchill specifically ordered cities to be targeted after attacks on German factories resulted in heavy aircraft losses; the objective was to crush German morale and reduce the number of workers that could power the Nazi efforts to make war. Civilian casualties were devastating. Firestorm includes rare, historic film footage, (much of it in color), along with interviews of historians, former bomber pilots, and survivors of the relentless assault. Bonus features include amateur film footage of Germany in ruins, and a filmmaker biography. An uncompromising look at the full might of the allied air campaign against Nazi Germany, and an oft-overlooked perspective of the Allies' brutality in war, which leaves the viewer to decide whether or not the extreme measures were necessary. 93 minutes, black-and-white and color.

Recommended for adults and young viewers in grades 7-12 alike, The Return of the Cuyahoga is an educational documentary about the Cuyahoga River in the United States, which flows directly through Cleveland. Once, it formed the border of the western frontier; by the 1870s, pollution from industrial factories along its banks turned it into a literal channel of sludge. Its surface became so oily that it would frequently catch fire. The Cuyahoga became a symbol for environmental degradation in America, and its difficult redemption had to balance efforts to clean it with the needs of the city of Cleveland. The return of the Cuyahoga is ultimately an uplifting story of hope, that it is in fact possible for large populations of humans to coexist with natural waterways. An excellent addition to public and school library environmental DVD collections. 57 minutes.

The Sports Shelf

The Detroit Tigers are the pride of Detroit baseball fans. Now in an updated fourth edition, "The Detroit Tigers: A Pictorial Celebration of the Greatest Players and Moments in Tigers History" is a complete and comprehensive guide to the team's roots and history, from their formation in 1881 through the 2007 season. Enhanced with hundreds of black and white photographs and notable player statistics, "The Detroit Tigers" is an ideal gift for any Tigers fan, and highly recommended for community library sports collections.

The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Writing is an art form, and all artists need a place to brainstorm and ponder their ideas – both mentally and physically. "A Writer's Space: Make a Room to Dream, to Work, to Write" recognizes this fact and gives advice for writers on how to create this space. Finding one's inner muse, optimizing one's time with the pen or keyboard, and creating both an office and ritual are all topics covered in this fine guide for any artist, whether with literary goals or not. "A Writer's Space: Make a Room to Dream, to Work, to Write" is highly recommended for community library writing and publishing collections.

Language is one concept that unites the entire human species as a whole – and working with it can be one of its greatest art forms. "The Soul of Creative Writing" is an in-depth guide to better understanding language as a whole, created to help aspiring writers use the knowledge they gain to create great and marvelous writing of their own. A first rate handbook for aspiring authors of any type of creative writing, be it short stories, novels, or poetry, "The Soul of Creative Writing" is a must for any community library collections gathering books on writing.

Written and edited by members of the International Game Developers Association, Professional Techniques for Video Game Writing is a no-nonsense guide to the professional craft of writing the story, narrative, dialogue, tutorials, manuals, strategy guides, and anything else that needs to be written for modern-day video games. All contributors are themselves seasoned video game writers; they give the down and dirty on how to break into the business, what it means to be part of a writing team, principles of narrative design, and much, much more. Script samples offer illuminating examples that enhance this absolute "must-have" for anyone contemplating or pursuing a career in video game writing or technical writing, even (or especially) if they already have experience in crafting standard prose.

Many a novice author often fails to realize that when their book is published the responsibility for publicizing, promoting, marketing, and selling that book is mostly (if not entirely!) going to be on their shoulders. The good news is that the art and science of successfully selling a book in today's volatile and competitive marketplace can be done on as small a budget as $20 for the template of a website or blog. For those who don't know how to accomplish such a feat, book marketing expert Stephanie Chandler has written "The Author's Guide To Building An Onlkine Platform: Leveraging The Internet To Sell More Books", a step-by-step, articulate and practical compendium of instructions and advice. Chapters cover how to go about launching a website or blog; how to determine the target audience for a book; what kind of information will be needed to interest the intended readership of a book; how to optimize a website with search engines; the principles and techniques of publishing a monthly electronic newsletter and building a mailing list; and keeping up the struggle to bring a book to the attention of those most likely to be persuaded to buy it! Simply stated, "The Author's Guide To Building An Online Platform" is an ideal instruction manual that will materially assist any writer seeking to build a long-term career for themselves as published authors.

Writing can be an adventure within itself. "Compositions: Notes on the Written Word" collects author and poet Naomi Beth Wakan's journeys through the struggles and agony that is the writing process. Offering advice as well as reflections, her stories all have something within that any writers can relate to. An in-depth look into the mind of a poet, "Compositions: Notes on the Written Word" is highly recommended for community library writing and publishing collections.

Writing and Yoga are two concepts alien from one another, or so one would think. "The Journey from the Center to the Page: Yoga Philosophies and Practices as Muse for Authentic Writings" is author and Yoga enthusiast Jeff Davis' guide to combining these two loves. Advising readers to channel their spirit to enhance their writing and immerse themselves in their work, his tips and suggestions are as sound as his soul. "The Journey from the Center to the Page: Yoga Philosophies and Practices as Muse for Authentic Writings" is highly recommended to any writer looking to unleash the best of themselves and for community library Spirituality and Writing collections.

The Library Science Shelf

Is a librarian all that stands between people and all the knowledge they seek to learn? "Librarians as Learning Specialists: Meeting the Learning Imperative for the 21st Century" is a scholarly guide for librarians to not become obstacles in quenching the thirst for knowledge, but instead facilitate their patrons' search. Helping Librarians put on the teaching hat, "Librarians as Learning Specialists: Meeting the Learning Imperative for the 21st Century" is highly recommended for community library science collections.

In these times of touchy cultural boundaries, educating children is the best way to support the future. "Books about the Middle East: Selecting and Using them with Children and Adolescents" is a guide for libraries to help children learn about cultural diversity through their school and public libraries, discussing books that help teachers deal with the cultural differences that may arise when they speak with their students. Sure to fill in educators and librarians on everything they need to know to enhance their curriculum with tolerance and diversity, "Books about the Middle East: Selecting and Using them with Children and Adolescents" is highly recommended for community libraries.

Graphics Novels are rising in popularity in recent years and have become the long fiction of choice for children and tweens. "The Librarian's Guide to Graphic Novels for Children and Tweens" is a complete and comprehensive guide for library administrators seeking to build an attractive collection for this pivotal age group. Recognizing that the trend is not one followed by older types, "The Librarian's Guide to Graphic Novels for Children and Tweens" gives solid advice for picking what's cool and hip for today's children. An expertly composed resource, highly recommended for professional, academic and community library science reference collections.

The Railroading Shelf

Part of the appeal to model railroading is creating model towns, villages and industries. "The Model Railroader's Guide to Industries Along the Tracks 3" is a guide for model railroad enthusiasts who want to make their models as authentic as possible by adding replicas of industries that railroads deliver their shipments to. With well over one hundred photographs and diagrams to help modelers make the best possible replicas, "The Model Railroader's Guide to Industries Along the Tracks 3" is highly recommended for community library railroading collections.

The Language Studies Shelf

There's a gap between reading authentic Latin texts and a class that teaches Latin as a spoken language. "Ovid: A Legamus Transitional Reader" seeks to bridge that gap with material to help students understand the grammar and language used in these ancient texts, complete with a vocabulary practice and assistance. The ideal tool for any Latin student looking to practice their skills with the ancient language, "Ovid: A Legamus Transitional Reader" is highly recommended for community library collections dedicated to assisting in learning foreign languages.

The Humor Shelf

1001 Insults, Put-Downs & Comebacks lives up to its title; herein are some of the nastiest, most creative, and effective character attacks and snappy retorts, gathered from a smorgasbord of sources in literature, entertainment, and politics. Compiled by Steven D. Price, a native of New York City (a land of the cutting-edge insult if ever there was), 1001 Insults, Put-Downs & Comebacks makes a great gag gift and is sure to bring smiles and chuckles aplenty. Just remember that its sharp-tongued digs should not be repeated aloud unless one is ready for the repercussions of an all-out insult war!

Pet lovers and those who enjoy the Sunday funny pages have a treasure indeed in "Mutts Shelter Stories: Love. Guaranteed.", a compilation of over one hundred of McDonnell's Mutts comic strips; on the opposite page of each strip are full color photos of pets found in animal shelters and their heartwarming success stories. A perfect gift for the dog or cat lover, "Mutts Shelter Stories: Love. Guaranteed." is highly recommended for community library pet and humor collections.

Casual Dress Friday does not mean to show up to work in a casual dress, one of the many lessons taught by Charles Marshall in "I'm Not Crazy: But I Might be a Carrier". Taking on society as a whole and mocking it (and himself) as he encounters it all, "I'm Not Crazy" is a laugh riot from the first page to the last, sure to infect Marshall's brand of insanity upon his readers so they may spread it as well. "I'm Not Crazy: But I Might be a Carrier" is a top pick for community library humor shelves and for anyone who just needs a good joke.

Just as there are specific interior designers who have achieved international acclaim for their work, so there are interior decorating firms that have achieved world wide reputations for the enduring quality of their accomplishments. Such a company was the family firm of Leleu who first came to prominence for their Art Deco style in Paris, France during the 1920s and maintained a world-wide reputation second to none until they finally closed their doors in 1973. In the 1950s they were acclaimed for the luxury and refinement of the Villa Medy Roc in Cap d'Antibes, the grand salons of the Geneva, Switzerland based League of Nations, to their many projects throughout New York City. Of special note was their work with interior design of the elegant French passenger ships of the 1920s and 1930s such as the 'Ile-de'France' and the 'Normandie', and in 1962, the 'France' -- last of the great French ships. Now a compendium of the best of their work with respect to decorating private homes, embassies, offices, public institutions, furniture, textiles, carpets, wall paper and more are showcased in "The House Of Leleu: Classic French Style for A Modern World 1920-1973". Profusely enhanced with both black & white as well as color illustrations, " The House Of Leleu" was prepared under the direction of Francoise Siriex and ably translated into English by Eric A. Bye. This 480-page compendium is informed and informative, a veritable showcase of more than fifty years of Leleu's distinctive interior designs, and a critically important addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library 20th Century Interior Design reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

The Jobs/Careers Shelf

AAIDD stand for the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. "Social Inclusion At Work" by Janis Chadsey is the latest addition to the AAIDD 'Research to Practice' series of instruction booklets called 'Innovations' under the co-editorship of Martin Agran and Michael Wehmeyer. a 56-page booklet, "Social Inclusion At Work" focuses on helping teachers, vocational rehabilitation counselors, transitional specialists, job coaches, and other service providers to integrate their clients with developmental disabilities into both sheltered and unsheltered employment settings. Of special interest are the assessment procedures and intervention strategies specifically designed to promote and insure a successful social inclusion within a work environment. Practical, informative, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in form and format, "Social Inclusion At Work" is a very highly recommended resource that would also be of benefit to concerned parents and employers of the developmentally disabled as well.

The perfect job is never going to simply fall into one's lap. "Courting Your Career: Match Yourself with the Perfect Job" is a guide for the ambitious to find the job they so desire – and how to find out if that career they desire is truly right for them. Taking a satirical outlook which makes an analogy between finding the perfect job and finding the perfect mate, "Courting Your Career" blends equal parts of wisdom and laughter. Highly recommended for community library career collections and to anyone looking for their perfect job.

In the latter years of the 1980s a series of comics from Malibu Comics did something now other comic book publisher was able to accomplish to such critically acclaimed success -- lampoon the well established international action/adventure characters as represented by the likes of James Bond and other extraordinary spies, CIA operatives, FBI agents, and government sanctioned hit men. Now all of these long out of print and unavailable issues have been collected together into two graphic novel anthologies. Volume 1 comprises the first seven issues of this remarkable series beginning with its debut in 1987. Volume 2 offers issues 8 through 14. Together they present the story of Lester Girls, a man who must suffer the attentions of countless beautiful women, have fancy cars, palatial estates, and overwhelming wealth imposed upon him. All Lester wants is a simple life with a loving wife and a small town in which to enjoy them both. Alas, no matter his desires, he and his sidekick and friend Apache Dick (plus Lester's mischievous two nephews) are constantly attacked by every manner of villain and villainess. Then there is 'Scoops', a determined young lady reporter seeking to uncover Lester's personal story. A masterpiece of satire from beginning to end, "The Trouble With Girls" is intended for and enthusiastically recommended to a mature readership who appreciates the well crafted and thoroughly entertaining lampooning of countless literary sacred cows arising from the hero and villain stereotypes that at the core of contemporary comics and movies.

The third graphic novel of Japanese author and artist Masaomi Kanzaki's Street Fighter II manga has never before seen publication in North America. Picking up after the conclusion of the epic saga in the first two volumes, Street Fighter II volume 3 brings the World Warriors Guile, Ken, and the beautiful (but fierce!) Chun-Li together again. Following rumors of the resurrection of the evil organization Shadaloo, they come up against the most intractable foes of all - themselves! Even Ryu and M. Bison must test their ultimate strength against their own mysterious doppelgangers, in this action-packed martial arts saga based on the wildly popular Street Fighter II video game. Street Fighter II, volume 3 is in black-and-white, enhanced with a handful of color plates, and "unflipped"; the graphic novel is presented and read right-to-left, just as Masaomi Kanzaki originally drew it. A bonus afterword by Masaomi Kanzaki and a preview of the manga "1520" round out this absolute "must-have" for Street Fighter II fans!

The seventh graphic novel of the Sakura Taisen series (loosely based on a Japanese video game) continues the adventures of the mostly female Imperial Fighting Troupe, who control giant robots in their efforts to defend their home city from invaders! But two of the flower troupe, the high-class lady Sumire and the tough fighting woman Kanna, have quarrelsome personalities. In a last-ditch effort to get the two to work together, captain Ogami feigns a stomach illness, prompting the two to investigate mysterious happenings in a haunted house. A hostile ghost lurking in the mansion turns out to be the least of the threats in wait - a powerful female sorceress has made the area her base of operations in her plan to engulf the Imperial City in a sea of flames! Presented in original right-to-left format so that readers can enjoy the creators' artwork as it was originally drawn, Sakura Taisen volume 7 lives up to the series' fine blend of action, fantasy, and heart. Highly recommended.

The Hunting/Fishing Shelf

Written by expert trophy bowhunter Steve Bartylla, Bowhunting Tactics That Deliver Trophies lives up to its title with its singularly impressive collection of whitetail bowhunting strategies. From how to read aerial photos and contour maps to figure out where mature bucks hide, to maximizing one's time while hunting on public land, to weather scent tactics, and much more, Bowhunting Tactics That Deliver Trophies is a thoroughly accessible reference and resource for bowhunters of all skill and experience levels. In an era when most hunters kill with guns, Bowhunting Tactics That Deliver Trophies is a welcome guide to help hunters connect with the weaponry of an earlier age.

Ethnographica Moralia: Experiments in Interpretive Anthropology is a scholarly anthology of essays written by anthropologists studying human cultures around the world (Greece, Bali, Taiwan, and the United States) with input from classicists, historians, and scholars in cultural studies. The common theme binding individual essays is tracing the cross-pollination among disciplines in the humanities and social sciences that have evolved from anthropologist Clifford Geertz's concept of "interpretive anthropology" emphasizing meaning over form when constructing a meticulous social analysis. Writings present in Ethnographica Moralia include "'Real Anthropology' and Other Nostalgias", "Cannonical and Anticannonical Histories", "Text and Transnational Subjectification: Media's Challenge to Anthropology", and many more. "Interpretive anthropology involves visual practices as both a source domain (seeing) and a target domain (objects to be seen). What are the preconditions of the anthropologist's interactive gaze? To what extent is anthropology's self-critique based on forms of self-observation? In what ways, then, could interpretive anthropology benefit from a theory of visuality that would transgress the observer-observed divide or the real-virtual dichotomy?" Extensive notes and an index round out this worthy commentary on the modern study of human beings, which takes into account such up-to-date global realities as the September 11th attacks and the commencement of the Cypriot Green Line.

The Buddhist Studies Shelf

Lion of Siddhas: The Life and Teachings of Padampa Sangye collects two venerable texts in one volume, both skillfully translated into English for the first time by expert and practicing Buddhist David Molk with Lama Tsering Wangdu Rinpoche. The first text of Lion of Siddhas is a biography of East Indian Mahasiddha Padampa Sangye, well known as a lineage guru to all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. He brought the lineage of Chod to Tibet, spread the Buddha's teachings in China, and the Tibetan tradition names him to be the Bodhidharma. His teaching methods could be extreme; he was known to tell his disciples (many of whom were women) to ignore social conventions, eschew social contacts, and transcend their cultural conditioning. The second text within Lion of Siddhas compiles Padampa Sangye's verbal and nonverbal teachings, known as "Mahamudra in Symbols", as recorded by his primary Tibetan disciple nearly one thousand years in the past. An invaluable reference for Buddhist studies shelves and reference collections, highly recommended.

The Art Shelf

Art is not just paintings – beautiful imagery and thought can be woven with my different mediums. "Miss Ann's Art" is a collection of Ann Barnes' artistic endeavors, choosing to focus on a very patriotic and Christian outlook through the poems, prose, and reflections, and oil paintings throughout this beautifully compiled coffee table book. "Miss Ann's Art" is highly recommended for community library art and Christian collections.

Folk art can be a window into the soul of the past and the people who lived there. "Folk Art in Maine: Uncommon Treasures 1750-1925" is a look at the folk art of Maine from countless artists both those intentional and unintentional throughout history. Full of brightly colored metaphorical snapshots of history, "Folk Art in Maine" is enlightening and educating to view. A top pick for community library art collections.

The Judaic Studies Shelf

The Jewish approach to new converts has always been to make them come to the synagogue, not the other way around. "To the Jew First: The Case for Jewish Evangelism in Scripture and History" is an argument pushing for a new approach to Judaism, one that favors evangelism. Looking at modern Jewish Evangelism and the Jewish missionary, "To the Jew First" argues in against the standard passive conversion stance that Judaism so values. "To the Jew First" is highly recommended for community library Judaic studies collections.

For over five decades the author, heads of Israel's largest hesder yeshiva, has provided teachings to thousands of students. COMMITMENT AND COMPLEXITY reveals these teachings for Torah students and Jewish peoples around the world, providing his thoughts on modern events and issues. Any scholarly adult Jewish library will find it packed with comments and insights essential to understanding Jewish culture and its direction.

You all look the same to me – a common racist joke saying that all people of a single ethnic group are exactly alike. Only, as most people know, it is completely untrue. "The Changing Christian World: A Brief Introduction for Jews" is a guide for those in the Judaic community looking to understand and comprehend the massive and confusing force that engulfs the western world known as Christianity. Seeking a complete and non-generalizing understanding for amateur Jewish theologians, "The Changing Christian World: A Brief Introduction for Jews" is highly recommended for community library Judaic and Christian Studies collections.

The Parenting Shelf

Medical science is an amazing thing. Mothers can often find out the gender of their child before it is born, but they can also find out terrible news before the baby comes into their life. "My Child, My Gift: A Positive Response to Serious Prenatal Diagnosis" is a look at these unfortunate parents who are faced with a troubling forecast for their children. Seeking to give practical advice to mothers who are considering abortion, "My Child, My Gift" is also a spiritual guide, intended to bring comfort as well as straight talk to expectant mothers who find themselves in this difficult situation. "My Child, My Gift: A Positive Response to Serious Prenatal Diagnosis" is highly recommended for community library parenting collections.

Where Do Babies Come From? It's a question no parent is eager to hear. "Where Do Babies Come From: Learning About Sex for the Christian Family" is a guide for Christian parents on how to tackle this difficult question with regard to a young child's innocence. With a focus on boys between the ages of seven and nine, the information provided is specialized and in depth, sure to help parents out of this difficult situation. "Where Do Babies Come From: Learning About Sex for the Christian Family" is a top pick for community library parenting collections. Also from Concordia Publishing House for parents confused with these tough questions from young children is "Why Boys & Girls Are Different: Learning About Sex for the Christian Family" (9780758614155, $12.99), a focus on teaching pre-school age girls about human sexuality in terms they can understand.

The Genealogy Shelf

At some point in everyone's lives they are left asking who they are and where they came from. "Genealogy of a Rebel" is the story of the author's quest to find out who her family was and to trace her roots through history, all the way back to the medieval era. In the process she discovered her own descent from nobility. A memoir of her research and a motivating story to anyone else hunting down their family history, "Genealogy of a Rebel" is a top pick for community library memoir and genealogy collections.

The Architecture Shelf

Architecture is all around us, but few ever pay attention to the men behind these constructions. Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition, "Andrea Palladio: The Architect in His Time" looks at the man who revolutionized western architecture during his long life in the sixteenth century (he was a master of the arts and a true Renaissance man). "Andra Palladio: The Architect in His Time" covers his life and the inspirations for his craft, enhanced with photographs of Palladio's work. A seminal coverage, "Andrea Palladio: The Architect in His Time" is highly recommended for community library Biography and Architectural Studies collections.

The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

College-level performing arts libraries strong in the horror genre must have Historical Dictionary of Horror Cinema! Historical Dictionary of Horror Cinema traces the development of the genre from the early 20th century to modern times using a chronology, essay, bibliography, and hundreds of dictionary entries. All major movie villains are covered, along with a general horror history in this in-depth survey discussing content, form and presentation.

Each book in the 'character studies' series edited by Ashley Chantler is a recommended pick for high school and college-level libraries alike, providing fine literary analysis through the concept of character which makes this an excellent choice for drama as well as literary students. Each includes an introductory review of text, discussions of play performance and reception, and a concluding essay. New to the series is TWELFTH NIGHT (9780826495419, $16.95), OTHELLO (9780826494337, $16.95) and WAITING FOR GODOT (9780826493811, $16.95): all classics worthy of study and research.

Why have zombies been so pervasive in popular media and film? The editors of Zombie Culture: Autopsies of the Living Dead provide a collection of discussions from scholars from different fields, from cinema to popular culture and video games to literary culture, all considering how zombies have evolved from folklore into mainstream culture. While Zombie Culture covers a specialty topic for horror and cinema libraries, such collections will find its discussions wide-ranging and important.

The Gardening Shelf

You can't recycle organics, only paper, plastic, and glass -- or can you? "Don't Throw It, Grow It! 68 Windowsill Plants from Kitchen Scraps" is a novel but effective guide to turning ordinary household organic garbage into a thriving personal garden. "Don't Throw It, Grow It!" promotes the ability to take the remains of countless vegetables and nuts such as almonds, celery, kiwis, squash, and others, plant them, and grow them once more into food. The veggies can then be consumed again, repeating the cycle anew. A conservationist's manual of efficiency, "Don't Throw It, Grow It!" is highly recommended for community library gardening collections.

The Supreme Court is governed by humans, and humans do make errors."The Dirty Dozen: How Twelve Supreme Court Cases Radically Expanded Government and Eroded Freedom" is an examination of these mistakes that have cost America dearly. Pointing out cases in which the Supreme Court has bumbled and allowed the federal government to interfere with private contracts or political support, detain prisoners charge, wrongfully seize property, and other misdeeds of the court, "The Dirty Dozen" is an expertly crafted and harsh criticism of the courts. Highly recommended for community library law collections.

The first amendment clashes with the sixth amendment more often than one would think. "Rights in the Balance: Free Press, Fair Trial, & Nebraska Press Association v. Stuart" is an examination of the modern media and its interference with the court system as people attempt to get a fair trial in today's society. A deft examination that hopes to find the fine line that can lie between the two peacefully, "Rights in the Balance: Free Press, Fair Trial, & Nebraska Press Association v. Stuart" is a top pick for community library law collections.

Most law books simply cover bigger lawsuits and pay no mind to the littler conflicts. "Everybody's Guide to Small Claims Court" is a thoroughly researched and deftly written handbook for those who are facing the need to appear in small claims court. Outlining countless strategies and advice for those who need it, "Everybody's Guide to Small Claims Court" can be the difference between receiving or paying money when called out. Highly recommended for community library law collections.

The Criminology Shelf

Written by the only psychic to ever lecture at the FBI Academy, A Mind for Murder: The Real-Life Files of a Psychic Investigator has been revised, expanded and updated into a new edition. Stories of the author's experiences reveal her change from businesswoman to psychic investigator, and cover her predictions and encounters with true crime. Fascinating reading for any audience interested in true crime accounts.

The Holocaust Studies Shelf

Forgiveness is not forgetting what has happened – to do so would be idiotic. "Inherited Enemies: Through my Father's Eyes" is the tale of Faith Feldman, daughter of a Holocaust survivor as she reflects on her father's suffering decades ago in Europe. She meets eye to eye with the son of a Nazi during World War II, and writes about her feelings and conflicts between hatred and the need to forgive to make the world a better place. "Inherited Enemies: Through my Father's Eyes" is highly recommended for community library Holocaust studies collections.